Home And Away: Feyenoord to light up Europa League

Ronald Koeman has re-established Feyenoord as a threat

Jonno Turner expects Newcastle to thrive on their European return and Feyenoord to be celebrating too...

It's GCSE results day today and like I said to my little sister this morning, if you fail, just remember two things: 1) you tried your best, and 2) yes, I'd like fries with that. I didn't get great results, but my excuse was that I took history, and that gets harder every year.

We're off to the Netherlands for the Europa League play-off round, as Feyenoord welcome Sparta Prague to De Kuip, looking to make home advantage count and secure passage into the group stage.

Ronald Koeman's side have lost just one of their last 13 on their own patch, and that will give them confidence as they welcome the Czechs to Rotterdam this evening.

A second-place finish in the Eredivisie last season was a remarkable achievement and Koeman will be desperate to regain momentum following their Champions League qualifying disappointment by chalking up another home victory.

Visitors Sparta Prague have won just two of their last five Europa League outings on the road, and that poor form indicates the size of the task awaiting them.

They are renowned for consistent domestic achievement, but have also been poor on their Czech Liga travels lately, winning just one of their last four. Another cause for concern is a run of one clean sheet in six.

Bet 1: Feyenoord (HOME) to win @ 1.758/11

Newcastle enjoyed a cracking start to the new Premier League campaign with a 2-1 win against Tottenham and Alan Pardew's side will aim to build on that as they travel to Greece to face Atromitos in the Europa League.

The Geordies really cemented their position as one of the country's big clubs last year, and look set to continue that this campaign as they eye this European trophy.

They go into this game on a cracking run, with eight wins in 11 competitive outings meaning that confidence is sky high. The Sports Direct Arena is known as a hard place to visit, but Pardew has got his side chalking up the results on the road too, and they could make it four wins in six tonight.

Hosts Atromitos are enduring a miserable run of results which has seen the Greeks take just one win in six in front of their fans.

Ex-boss Giorgios Donis led them to fourth in the Greek Super League last year, and was duly snapped up by PAOK, which means Dusan Bajevic is the man at the helm for this game, with this if first competitive test, and a big one at that.

The last time they played in Europe, they lost 6-1 on aggregate to Sevilla, and I think that this could also be a bridge too far in terms of quality.

Bet 2: Newcastle (AWAY) to win @ 2.6413/8