Soccer Betting – Europa Groups are Top Heavy

Last week, I looked at the odds to win the 2016-17 Europa League. As I said then, it’s hard to set the odds at this point since a bunch of very good teams will be coming down from the Champions League part way through the season. Looking at who will in the individual Europa League groups – which are set in stone – is a more attainable endeavor.

So let’s do that!

You get bonus points if you can name each team’s country of origin.

2016-17 Europa League Group Stage Odds

Group A

Manchester United: -200

Fenerbahce: +650

Feyenoord: +700

Zorya: +3000

With Jose Mourinho in control, plus a lineup that features Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, and Paul Pogba, it would be a massive upset if anyone but United win the group.

Group B

Olympiakos: -110

Young Boys: +333

APOEL Nicosia: +600

FC Astana: +1000

Olympiakos have won six straight titles in Greece. They’re the chalk in a weak Group B, but only because the other three teams inspire very little confidence.

Group C

Mainz: +200

Anderlecht: +220

St. Etienne: +225

FK Gabala: +2000

Mainz have a solid roster and have been playing very competitively in the Bundesliga. They don’t have much European experience, however. Dutch side Alkmaar will be dangerous. They notched 70 goals in just 34 matches in the Eredivisie last season.

Group D

Zenit: -200

AZ Alkmaar: +450

Maccabi Tel Aviv: +900

Dundalk: +5000

Russian squad Zenit spends with the best of them. They’re by far the best team on paper thanks to splashy free agent acquisitions.  Anderlecht rely on a stout defense (29 goals against in 30 Belgian Jupiler League matches last year), but Zenit have more firepower than their domestic rivals.

Group E

AS Roma: -200

Plzen: +700

Austria Vienna: +8000

Astra Giurgi: +1400

After a disappointing Champions League playoff elimination, Roma have to settle for the Europa League. They have the roster to for the UCL and should run through their group with ease.

Group F

Athletic Bilbao: -150

Sassuolo: +375

Rapid Vienna: +900

Genk: +1200

Like most Spanish teams in this tournament, Athletic Bilbao should dominate their group. Indeed, they’re one of the favorites to make a deep run in the knockout stage. Playing 38 La Liga games per year hones the edge of every Spanish squad.

Group G

Ajax: +150

Celta Vigo: +200

Panathinaikos: +550

Standard Liege: +550

Ajax have the most talented team in the group, but Celta Vigo – like Bilbao – have the advantage of playing against superior competition on a weekly basis. Plus Ajax tends to give their inexperienced youngsters a lot of playing time in these tournaments.

Group H

Shakhtar Donetsk: -133

SC Braga: +333

Gent: +700

Konyaspor: +700

Under coach Mircea Lucescu, Shakhtar Donetsk have become an offensive force. They’ll be disappointed not to be playing in the Champions League, but that getting back to Europe’s top-tier should be ample motivation for the Ukrainians to dominate their otherwise lacking group.

Group I

Schalke: +110

Nice: +450

FK Krasnodar: +500

Salzburg: +550

Group I is one of the more top heavy with Schalke and Nice. Schalke’s Bundesliga schedule will be more difficult than their Europa League round robin. Nice’s slate in Ligue 1 isn’t as daunting.

Group J

Fiorentina: -200

PAOK: +600

Slovan Liberec: +1100

FK Karabakh: +1200

Fiorentina reached the quarterfinals in the last two editions of this tournament.  They’re by far the cream of the Group J crop.

Group K

Inter Milan: -133

Southampton: +450

Sparta Prague: +500

Hapoel Be’er Sheva: +1500

Group K features some notable names, but isn’t as strong as it looks. New manager Frank de Boer is trying to turn Inter into an offensively-minded team, but they’re not real threats to win the tournament. Southampton are a middling EPL team, in reality.

Group L

Villarreal: -220

FC Zurich: +450

Steaua Bucharest: +700

Osmanlispor FK: +1000

Group L is headed by another Spanish squad with the potential for a Europa title run. Villarreal reached the semifinals last season and have unfinished business. They’ll take care of business in the group stage.

Photo credit: Ian C (Flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/].