Chris Boline
RB Leipzig were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, but they can beat Atalanta to reach the last four on Thursday.
Who do Bettors Favor?
According to the odds available at the best online sportsbook sites, the game between Atalanta and Leipzig looks like being a close one. Most bookmakers are struggling to separate the two, with Atalanta generally available at around +160 and Leipzig at around the same price. If you think the second leg will go to extra time, you can bet on the normal time draw at +250.
| Atalanta v Leipzig |  |  |  |
| Atalanta | +160 | +170 | +155 |
| Draw | +250 | +255 | +255 |
| Leipzig | +165 | +162 | +155 |
Atalanta v Leipzig, 2022-04-14
After holding a spot in the top four of Serie A for several weeks, Atalanta have hit a dramatic slump in 2022 and have now dropped to eighth in the table after a 2-1 defeat against Sassuolo at the weekend. It is starting to look as though their best chance of reaching the Champions League next season is by winning the Europa League and there is certainly plenty of pressure on this game.
The two sides recorded a 1-1 draw at Red Bull Arena a week ago, and sportsbooks seem to think that this game will be just as close, with both managers likely to make changes to their line-up. For Atalanta, that means we can probably expect Luis Muriel to get a start, while Marten De Roon will also be back.
Leipzig will have been disappointed not to secure a first-leg advantage, but they still have a lot going for them ahead of this second leg. They haven’t lost in the Bundesliga since February 5 and crucially they have been most effective on the road. In fact, their only loss away from home since early December was a narrow 3-2 defeat against leaders Bayern Munich. This could be a tight game but I think Leipzig have the form and the experience to edge it.
Barcelona v Eintracht Frankfurt, 2022-04-14
Barcelona will try to clinch their spot in the Europa League semi-finals when they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt at the Camp Nou on Thursday evening.
The Catalan giants have been impressive in 2022, so it’s no surprise that they are available at short odds for a home victory. They certainly have plenty of attacking options in the form of January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is in top form at the moment, as well as Luuk de Jong and Pedri who are both pushing for recalls to the first team.
Still, manager Xavi still has some absences to contend with including four injured regulars: Gerard Pique, Memphis Depay, Sergino Dest, and Sergi Roberto, and the former international will have one eye on the domestic situation as several teams battle it out for top four places.
The good news for Barcelona fans is that Frankfurt aren’t known for being great travelers. They will also be without midfielder Djibril Sow for this game, after he limped off in the 2-1 loss to Freiburg at the weekend. The disparity between the two teams in terms of squad depth will be on display here, and having secured a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Barcelona should win this comfortably.
Lyon v West Ham United, 2022-04-14
All eyes will be on Parc Olympique Lyonnais when Olympique Lyon and West Ham go head to head in the Europa League quarter-finals, second leg. Les Gones failed to turn their dominance into victory in the Olympic Stadium draw in the first leg, despite the fact that West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell was sent off on the stroke of half-time.
But that result also saw Hammers goalkeeper Anthony Lopes join the likes of Caqueret, Cherki, Diomande, and Mendes on the injury list, as the long season continues to take its toll. West Ham will also be without Cresswell and Kurt Zouma, and don’t go into this game in great form, having lost a crucial Premier League game 2-0 to Brentford at the weekend.
Lyon will be confident of going through with home advantage, but they have been thoroughly inconsistent all season and can’t be backed with any confidence, so a second leg draw looks the safest pick.
Rangers v Braga, 2022-04-14
Rangers will face Braga in the Europa League on Thursday at Ibrox Stadium, hoping to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg with the help of their passionate home support.
They do have some absences to contend with. Filip Helander could be missing, along with key striker Alfredo Morelos. The good news is that John Lundstram should recover in time for this game, while the Jamaica international Kemar Roofe, who recorded a hat-trick at the weekend in a 4-0 win over St. Mirren, will again lead the line for Rangers.
Carlos Carvalhal’s side will be aiming to grind out a positive result, and that could make for a difficult game to watch, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team are strong at home and they look a solid pick to pick up the win they need to go through.
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