Europa League Betting: Don't expect Everton to roll over in Switzerland

Everton must stop Young Boys striker Guillaume Hoarau

After finishing the group stage in profit, Kevin Hatchard's back with his best bets from the Europa League's last 32...

Young Boys v Everton
Thursday February 18, 18:00
Live on ITV 4

In a season where Everton have fallen well short of expectations in the Premier League, the Europa League has provided the campaign with some much-needed high points. The Toffeemen finished top of their section, and although they rode their luck at times, they managed to beat Bundesliga high-flyers Wolfsburg home and away.

This tie against Swiss outfit Young Boys of Berne could prove to be Everton's toughest test of the competition to date. Young Boys have won their last seven home games in European competition, including an eye-catching 2-0 victory against Napoli in the group stage. Ex-PSG striker Guillaume Hoarau is the hosts' biggest attacking threat - the Frenchman scored five times in the group phase, only failing to net in a 3-0 reverse in Naples.

Everton will be sorely tested on an unfamiliar synthetic pitch (they have been training on the I-pitch at Widnes Vikings to prepare), and they will be without the injured Leighton Baines, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Aiden McGeady, as well as the ineligible Aaron Lennon.

It's tempting to think a super-confident Young Boys team will sweep away an Everton side that has lacked consistency, but the visitors' manager Roberto Martinez has concentrated on the basics in recent weeks, and it has paid dividends. Everton have kept clean sheets in three of their last four games, and they pushed Chelsea really hard at Stamford Bridge before succumbing to a 1-0 defeat.

Everton only conceded one goal in their three group-stage away games, and I think they can resist an early surge from the hosts. Young Boys' home wins against Napoli and Sparta Prague both featured blank scorelines at half-time, and it's worth noting that an Everton side that has regained its discipline has been level at the break in six of the last seven games.

Recommended Bet
Back Draw in the Half Time market at 2.186/5

Celtic v Inter Milan
Thursday February 19, 20:05
Live on BT Sport 1

These two famous clubs are locking horns for the first time since the 1972 European Cup semi-finals, when the Nerazzurri progressed to the final. Five years earlier, Celtic's famous "Lions of Lisbon" had beaten the Italian giants and been crowned European champions in the Portuguese capital.

Celtic boss Ronny Deila had a baptism of fire at the start of his first season with the club. The Bhoys were thrashed 6-1 by Legia Warsaw in the Champions League qualifiers, only to be reinstated on a technicality. They then lost over two legs to Maribor, but at least they managed to escape their Europa League group.

There are signs that Celtic's players have finally got to grips with how Deila wants them to operate, and the Old Firm giants have won their last eight domestic matches, a run that has helped them regain top spot in the Scottish Premiership. This is all very well, but I fear a clash with Inter will prove a jarring step up.

Inter have had a few false starts under returning boss Roberto Mancini, but their last two performances in Serie A have been highly encouraging. They thumped a very good Palermo side 3-0 at San Siro, and at the weekend they won 4-1 at Atalanta. Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin is working well under Mancini, and has scored three goals in two games, while hot-headed striker Mauro Icardi is also a big threat. New signing Xherdan Shaqiri adds further quality and pace to the attacking department.

Celtic are without Charlie Mulgrew and Mikael Lustig, while influential midfielder Kris Commons is struggling to make the match, with Deila insisting he won't risk the player's long-term fitness.

Towards the end of the group stage I talked myself out of tipping Red Bull Salzburg to win at Celtic Park, and I admittedly overestimated the impact of the febrile atmosphere the home crowd can generate. The Austrians won 3-1, and I don't intend to make the same mistake twice. Inter are a stronger side than Celtic, and if they play as well as they have in the last two matches (admittedly with Inter that's a significant "if"), they will win the match.

Recommended Bet
Back Inter at 2.568/5

Wolfsburg v Sporting Lisbon
Thursday February 19, 18:00
Live on ESPN

Wolfsburg have made a flying start to 2015. They demolished German champions Bayern Munich 4-1 in their first game after the winter break, and Saturday's 5-4 victory at Bayer Leverkusen (their first ever win at the BayArena) was truly extraordinary. A team that had seen leads of 3-0 and 4-2 slip away would often panic, but Dieter Hecking's Wolves kept plugging away, and got their reward with a stoppage-time winner.

That decisive goal came from Bas Dost, who scored four on the day and now has eight goals in his last five games. The Dutchman is one of a host of Wolfsburg players on excellent form - Kevin De Bruyne has netted five goals in his last four games, while even centre-back Naldo is getting in on the goalscoring act, hitting the net three times in his last six appearances.

Wolfsburg have won seven of their last ten games in all competitions, and they haven't lost a match since their entirely unjust home defeat against Everton in November. That remains their only loss at the Volkswagen Arena this term. They have a hole in midfield with Luiz Gustavo and Joshua Guilavogui both suspended, but Maxi Arnold is an adequate replacement, and fellow deputy Christian Trasch has plenty of experience.

Sporting Lisbon are a fine side with some dangerous attacking players, but they have won just two of their last six games. The Portuguese giants have struggled on the road in Europe too, with just one point collected from three away matches in this season's Champions League group stage. Sporting haven't won an away game in European competition since 2011, and I suspect that run will continue.

Recommended Bet
Back Wolfsburg -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.05n/a

Sevilla v Borussia Monchengladbach
Thursday February 19, 20:05

The holders Sevilla are in the mix again, and are just two points off the top four in La Liga. Despite consistently losing his best players to other clubs - playmaker Ivan Rakitic and rampaging left-back Alberto Moreno left for pastures new in the summer - inspirational coach Unai Emery continues to work his magic.

Sevilla's road to the knockout phase was a bumpier one than they would have liked. A home defeat to Rijeka in the final round of group games would've seen the Andalusians eliminated, but they eked out a 1-0 win. Four of Sevilla's six group matches featured fewer than three goals, including two of their three outings at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Borussia Monchengladbach are third in the Bundesliga, and on a high after a dramatic 1-0 derby win over their old rivals FC Cologne. Lucien Favre's men have been a bit more circumspect than usual since the winter break, with all four of their games featuring just one goal each. The back four has operated very smoothly despite the absence of skipper Martin Stranzl, and the Austrian is nearing full fitness to provide a pleasant selection dilemma.

Gladbach love to soak up pressure and then strike on the counter-attack, and that will surely be the gameplan on Thursday night. Emery will be wary of the speed and skill of Patrick Herrmann and Max Kruse on the break, and I suspect he won't risk too much too early in the tie.

Sevilla have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight home games, and Gladbach have returned to the excellent defensive form they were producing at the start of the campaign. I fancy a tight one.

Recommended Bet
Back Under 2.5 Goals at 1.910/11

2014/15 Europa League P/L (1pt per bet)

Staked: 50
Returned: 56.04
P/L: +6.04 points