Verdict: Olympiakos win
Best Odds: 2/1
Bookmaker: Bet365
Two sides that are now 90 minutes from booking their spot in the group stages of this years Europa League, Burnley will be looking to turn around their form and a 3-1 deficit when they welcome Greek powerhouses Olympiakos to Turf Moor on Thursday night.
Burnley
Starting with Sean Dyche’s Clarets, although Burnley may have enjoyed a record-breaking year last season, the hosts have struggled to adjust to the demands of playing so frequently. Needing extra time to come past both Aberdeen and Istanbul Basaksehir in the previous rounds, Burnley are also coming off the back of a 4-2 loss to Fulham in their third Premier League outing. Now only managing to pick up a single point in the league courtesy of a lackluster 0-0 draw with Southampton on the opening weekend, Dyche’s side have been worryingly short of form. Seeing Ben Gibson sent off in the first leg in Greece and slumping to a 3-1 loss, the Clarets have now failed to win any of their last 13 competitive matches in 90 minutes, a run stemming back to the middle of April. It will also be their recent defensive issues that will be a huge cause for concern, along with losing their last three on the bounce, they have also shipped 10 goals in their losing run.
Team News
For Burnley, Johann Berg Gudmundsson is sidelined with a muscle injury, whilst new centre-back Ben Gibson was sent off in the first leg and so is suspended. Nick Pope and Steven Defour are long-term absentees.
Olympiakos
As for Pedro Martins’s Olympiakos side, although The Red and Whites could only secure a third-place finish in the Greek Super League last season, the visitors have enjoyed an impressive start to the new campaign. Putting seven past Luzern in the last round to secure a thumping 7-1 win on aggregate, Martin’s side are also flying high after their impressive 3-1 win in the last leg. One man, in particular, to watch for the visitors will be midfielder Lazaros Christodoulopoulos. Although he did not find the net against Burnley last week, the 31-year-old has scored five of the 10 goals Olympiakos have scored in the tournament so far. Starting their Greek Super League campaign with a 1-0 win over Levadiakos, The Red and Whites have won their last four competitive matches on the bounce and scoring 11 times on that run.
Team News
Olympiakos, meanwhile, could make one or two changes from the side that beat Levadiakos 1-0 in the Greek Super League.
Centre-back Roderick Miranda could come in but wide man Lazaros Christodoulopoulos will surely keep his place after completing a man-of-the-match performance with a fine free-kick.
Key Factors to Consider
- Burnley have now failed to win any of their last 13 competitive matches in 90 minutes.
- Olympiakos have scored 11 goals in their four competitive games so far this season.
- Olympiakos have scored in six of their last seven Europa League away days, only failing against APOEL in 2016.
- Burnley have now lost their last three matches on the bounce, conceding 10.
- The Clarets have failed to win any of their last eight matches at Turf Moor in 90 minutes.
Conclusion
Two sides who are currently enduring very different runs of form, on paper, it is hard to bet against Olympiakos. Although Burnley did leave Greece with a crucial away goal, they did ship three and their defensive issues will be a huge cause for concern. Without a win at Turf Moor since a 2-1 win over Leicester back in April, The Red and Whites also scored three against Luzern in their last away match in the qualifying stage. Backing the Greek powerhouses to come away with the win and a spot in the group stages seems like the safest bet here.
Verdict: Olympiakos win
Best Odds: 2/1
Bookmaker: Bet365
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