Europa League Tips: Greg Lea forecasts a lively encounter in Barcelona

Football expert Greg Lea provides his tips for the Europa League knockout round ties, which will be played on Thursday and feature the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Barcelona.

Ajax v Union Berlin

Kick-off: 5.45pm Thursday

Union Berlin’s success is one of the stories of the season in Europe. Not only are they through to the knockout stage of the Europa League for the first time, but the club from the German capital are just a point behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after 20 games.

Union have won all six of their matches since the World Cup and will fancy their chances of upsetting an Ajax team that is still getting to grips with the demands of interim manager John Heitinga. The German side will be tough and they have every chance of avoiding defeat in this away leg.

Prediction: Draw or Union Berlin @ 1.95 

Barcelona v Manchester United

Kick-off: 5.45pm Thursday 

With eight Champions League titles between them, these clubs would rather be competing in Europe’s premier competition. But now that they are in the Europa League, Barcelona and Manchester United will both be keen to go all the way.

Attacks could come out on top at the Camp Nou. Barcelona have scored in every LaLiga match since the opening weekend of the campaign, while Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils are averaging 2.33 goals per game in 2023.

Prediction: Both teams to score and Over 2.5 goals @ 1.95 

Red Bull Salzburg v Roma

Kick-off: 5.45pm Thursday

Roma won the Europa Conference League last season and Jose Mourinho will now be looking to go one better this time around, but this will be a tough first leg for a team that has failed to win four of its last five away games in Serie A.

Salzburg only returned to action last weekend after an extraordinarily long winter break in Austria. They will be fresh and raring to go on Thursday, and Noah Okafor could pick up from where he left off in the Champions League group stage, where he scored three times.

Prediction: Noah Okafor anytime goalscorer @ 2.68

Bayer Leverkusen v Monaco

Kick-off: 8pm Thursday

This has the potential to be a cracking game between two teams that are full of confidence. Xabi Alonso has done an excellent job since taking charge of Bayer Leverkusen in November - the Spaniard has overseen six wins in his last eight Bundesliga games and has them playing great football. 

Meanwhile, Monaco beat Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend to boost their Ligue 1 title hopes. In their last five league games, the principality club has scored a remarkable 13 first-half goals. This should be an entertaining encounter from the get-go.

Prediction: Over 1.5 first-half goals @ 2.4 

Juventus v Nantes

Kick-off: 8pm Thursday

With their hopes of a top-four finish almost certainly over following a 15-point deduction, Juventus may decide to put all their eggs in the Europa League basket. Max Allegri has a tendency towards caution, though, so do not expect Juve to come flying out of the traps on Thursday.

Seven of Nantes’ last eight Ligue 1 games have featured under 2.5 goals, so that looks the best selection for this match at the Allianz Stadium. 

Prediction: Under 2.5 goals @ 2.04

Thursday’s Europa League Tips

Ajax v Union Berlin: Draw or Union Berlin @ 1.95
Barcelona v Man Utd: Both teams to score and Over 2.5 goals @ 1.95 
RB Salzburg v Roma: Noah Okafor anytime goalscorer @ 2.68
Bayer Leverkusen v Monaco: Over 1.5 first-half goals @ 2.4
Juventus v Nantes: Under 2.5 goals @ 2.04