Best Soccer Bets

As great as Feyenoord has been keeping clean sheets domestically, not allowing a goal in five matches against Dutch teams, they haven’t replicated that success against European clubs.

In their five Champions League matches, they were only able to keep a clean sheet against a Celtic team that received red cards in the 63rd and 68th minutes of their opening game. Twice they gave up three goals to Atletico Madrid, while also allowing Lazio to score in both meetings.

Since De Rossi took over Roma, they have scored at least two goals in each game. That includes a pair of goals on the weekend against Inter, who had only allowed 10 goals in the entire Serie A series heading into the match.

Plus, Romelu Lukaku has been in exceptional form in the Europa League, finding the net in 16 of his recent 17 appearances in the Europa League. The Belgian forward is on the brink of surpassing Radamel Falcao’s record, as he’s just five goals shy of the all-time high of 30 goals in this tournament.

AC Milan is gearing up to face Rennes in the Europa League knockout-round playoffs, with the first leg of the encounter scheduled at San Siro this Thursday. This match marks the inaugural competitive clash between these two teams, with Milan dropping from the Champions League and Rennes having sailed through Group F last autumn.

Milan, fresh from securing their fourth win in five matches against the last two Serie A champions, including a recent victory over Napoli, is showing formidable form. Thanks to Theo Hernandez’s first-half goal, they’ve narrowed the gap to just one point behind second-placed Juventus, with city rivals Inter Milan leading by eight points.

With 20 goals scored in their opening eight matches of the year, Milan is eyeing a Champions League spot through their league performance. Yet, they shift focus to the Europa League, a title the seven-time European champions have not yet secured.

Rennes, on a winning streak with seven consecutive victories since the start of the New Year, including a penalty shootout win against Marseille in the Coupe de France, haven’t lost a match since their final Europa League group game two months ago. Recent triumphs over Sochaux, Nice, Lyon, Montpellier, and Le Havre highlight their strong form, booking a quarter-final spot in the cup and setting the stage for a potentially historic run in Europe.

Seeking their first trio of consecutive away wins in European competition, Rennes faces a challenging history against Italian teams, having lost in all their previous three visits to Italy. This upcoming match at San Siro presents a unique opportunity for both clubs to set new milestones in their European campaigns.

We are once again going with a BTTS bet here, as Rennes have scored in 15 of their last 16 Europa League matches. They have also played well away from home, averaging 2.17 goals per away match.

Milan’s 1-0 victory against Napoli was the first team that BTTS failed to hit in one of their matches in the last six games.

Striker Olivier Giroud has scored or assisted 11 goals in just nine Europa League appearances, so we should see a close match where both teams find the back of the net.

Toulouse is headed to Lisbon for a showdown with the Portuguese titans, Benfica, in the opening leg of their Europa League playoff this Thursday.

Benfica, after a rocky start in the Champions League, made a dramatic comeback to secure their spot in the Europa League. Meanwhile, Toulouse managed to advance past their group, despite struggling domestically, by securing a position just behind Liverpool.

Since their pivotal victory against Red Bull Salzburg in the last match of the Champions League group stage, Benfica has been on a tear, with 11 wins in their last 13 matches.

Despite not earning a single point in their first four Champions League matches, Benfica managed to make a stunning recovery. A remarkable 3-3 tie with Inter Milan, after leading by three goals, followed by a crucial win in Austria, propelled them past Salzburg for the Europa League qualification.

Benfica’s offensive prowess has been key, with the team netting 35 goals across those 13 matches, showcasing their formidable form.

On the other hand, Toulouse’s form has been less inspiring, continuing a difficult streak from 2023 with a 10-match winless run in their local league.

Their performance improved in the Europa League, where they clinched second place in their group behind Liverpool. However, back in France, they’re caught in a relegation scrap, despite recent victories over Metz and Reims. A recent loss to Nantes at home underscores their struggles, with just one win in their last 17 domestic home games.

Yet, Toulouse has shown resilience on the European stage, taking seven out of nine possible points in their group, highlighted by a notable victory against Liverpool, signaling their potential to surprise in international competitions.

This match is a tale of two teams headed in opposite directions. Benfica has won 11 of their past 13 matches while Toulouse has only won four matches since December.

The front three of Angel Di Maria, Arthur Cabral and Rafa Silva will have their share of opportunities up front. The Brazilian Silva has now scored in four straight games, despite coming off the bench against Guimaraes on Sunday.

We see the hosts dominating this game en route to a 3-1 victory against a French side likely more focused on the Ligue 1 relegation battle.