Steaua Bucharest v Sparta Prague / PAOK v Ajax – 13/5 Double

Steaua Bucharest v Sparta Prague 

After drawing the first leg 1-1 there is still everything to play for in this tie and both teams are likely to feel they’re in a good position to progress.

Naturally, having scored a vital away goal, Steaua are probably the more pleased of the two with their position in this tie; however, they will be well aware that a single Sparta Prague goal really puts them up against it. Similarly, Sparta know that as things stand they are going out, but with 90 minutes ahead of them there is no reason why they shouldn’t fancy their chances of changing that.

From a betting point of view it’s tough to call the winner, both teams showed that they’re capable of threatening each other last week and there probably won’t be too much in it either way. The bet that stands out is ‘Both Teams to Score’. 

The visitors know that they need a goal to stand any chance of progressing, so at some point in this match, probably sooner rather than later, they will have to be attack-minded. This can be both help and hinder the Czech side. They’ve definitely got the attacking quality required and, as proved last week, they can hurt their opponents. The fact that Steaua have conceded in seven of their last ten home matches also bodes well for the visitors. However, since Sparta are required to attack, there is likely to space in behind for the hosts to exploit and they too are more than capable of scoring. A goal in the away leg, combined with the fact that they’ve scored in each of their last ten games in front of a home crowd, is more than supportive of this.

The recent stats for this one match up quite nicely too. Steaua have been involved in a both teams to score outcome in four of their last five at home, while Sparta have seen both teams hit the net in three of their last five away.

PAOK v Ajax 

In PAOK v Ajax, we’re looking at another finely poised tie and, after the first leg finished 1-1, it looks as though this could go either way. Much like the above, PAOK are likely to be the happier team having secured themselves an away goal, but there is 90 minutes for Ajax to do something about it. With the second leg to play this tie is far from over.

The game between these two last week panned out slightly differently from the one above and wasn’t quite as tight. Ajax, as expected, were the dominant side in terms of both possession and efforts on goal, but the Greek side were resolute defensively and the took a first half lead by capitalising on the counter. Ajax came back into the game around the hour mark, but for all their possession and territorial dominance they were unable to force themselves in front.

The return leg could see much of the same. You might assume that PAOK will look to play more freely and get on the front foot now that they’re playing at home, but this just isn’t their style. The Greek outfit will, once again, look to keep things tight and frustrate, with a view to hurting the visitors on the counter.

Ajax know that it is them who must force the issue here. They need to score at least one goal to stand any chance of progressing to the next round. With this in mind, we should see a similar style from them also. They’ll play the game on the front foot and attempt to play their way through what will almost definitely be a deep-lying defence. No doubt about it Ajax have the quality to break down most defenses and, just as they did last week, they probably will do again. But will it be enough? they struggled to deal with PAOK on the counter at times in the first leg and it is fancied that this problem will still present itself to the Dutch this time around.

‘Both Teams To Score’ (as part of a double) is the way to play this one. There are reasons, albeit contrasting reasons, to expect that both teams will get their chances in this game and it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if, just as they did last week, both teams find the net. The fact that there has been at least one goal from either side in the last three meetings between these two bodes well, as does the fact that both teams have converted in seven of their last ten combined fixtures.

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