Football Tips: A fab 15/1 punt for Thursday’s Europa League & Conference action

Thursday night’s European football fixtures find us looking for value in the second legs of Europa and Conference League qualification.

Football tipster Andrew Cunneen has dug into the stats for Servette v Chelsea betting tips as part of a Multi-Match Bet Builder.

Thursday’s football tips

7pm: Besiktas v Lugano – Lugano and the Draw
7:30pm: Servette v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win
8pm: Shamrock Rovers v PAOK – PAOK to win
8pm: Larne v Lincoln Red Imps – Lincoln Red Imps and the Draw

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

7pm: Besiktas v Lugano

UEFA Europa League playoff second leg at the Tüpraş Stadyumu, Istanbul
TV: N/A

Lugano and the Draw

This is your classic buster. Everyone this side of the Bosphoros has heard of Besiktas and therefore believe they’re a shoo-in to qualify for the next round.

They also think Lugano was a fourth-choice striker at pre-wealth Man City in the early noughties.

Lugano’s path to European competition was tough this year. They netted four times against Fenerbahce, only be knocked out, and then fell in extra time to Partizan Belgrade earlier in the month.

It’s easy to forget these sides met last year in the group stages of this very competition and Lugano won 3-2 in front of 25,000 Turks.

This is a great value double chance play.

7:30pm: Servette v Chelsea

UEFA Conference League playoff second leg at the Stade de Genève, Geneva
TV: Chelsea TV

Chelsea to Win

While many Chelsea fans will be irritated by the fact they can’t seem to be remotely successful despite the bold strategy of just signing every very-good-but-not-world-class footballer in the world, it does reap some benefits.

And I don’t just mean for the agents.

Chelsea’s squad reads like the electoral register of Lewisham, but in instances where you have ‘nothing games’ – ones like this clash against Servette where the job is done, or in the Carabao Cup – you can still field a ridiculously talented team and put up big numbers.

They’re probably only going to be embarrassed in huge games where they’re expected to beat sides around them. But for these type of games? They’ll always be a nice leg to add in, because even if Chelsea’s second team play at 60% here, they’re a goal better than an already-beaten Swiss outfit.

8pm: Shamrock Rovers v PAOK

UEFA Europa League playoff second leg at Tallaght Stadium, Dublin
TV: LOITV

PAOK to win

This was a free shot for Rovers in the first place and we all knew that.

But they got within seconds of bringing the first leg to half-time with a clean sheet intact. That focus now changes, and Stephen Bradley has shown a willingness to shake things up in games where they’re merely exhibitions.

I’d expect a much-changed unit, led by some of Rovers’ young guns. And while they might get great experience into their legs, PAOK should easily brush them aside.

And neither of these teams will really care; particularly as they’re both in the European competitions they set out to qualify for.

8pm: Larne v Lincoln Red Imps

UEFA Conference League playoff second leg at Inver Park, Antrim
TV: BBC iPlayer

Lincoln Red Imps and the Draw

Maybe this is me recovering from trauma, but playing sides from Gibraltar always seems like a tap-in for League of Ireland clubs. You need not look too far from Larne to get a warning about underestimating these teams. Derry were beaten by Bruno’s Magpies last month.

And while it’s true Larne have invested well over the last couple of years, being this close to qualifying for a major European tournament brings its own pressure, and I cannot escape the idea of them falling flat.

Well, that, and the fact they beat them well in Gibraltar too. I understand why Larne are favourites here, but it’s the easiest fave lay of the entire slate.

Thursday’s football tips

7pm: Besiktas v Lugano – Lugano and the Draw
7:30pm: Servette v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win
8pm: Shamrock Rovers v PAOK – PAOK to win
8pm: Larne v Lincoln Red Imps – Lincoln Red Imps and the Draw

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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