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Olympiacos vs Atalanta betting tips: Europa League preview, predictions and odds

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Atalanta’s 19 European games played outside Italy since 2017 have produced 77 goals, four per game. Olympiacos have only lost four of their last 20 home matches in the Europa League.

Both teams to score is 7/10.

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is 11/10.

Tiquinho Soares is 5/1 to open the scoring, just as he did last Thursday, and 6/4 to net in 90 minutes.

Match preview

Duvan Zapata

After an entertaining first leg in Bergamo, it’s Atalanta who make the 900 mile flight south with a slight advantage.

15 minutes into last Thursday’s match, Olympiacos took a surprise lead when Tiquinho Soares’ shot from outside the box flew into the corner.

First, Teun Koopmeiners’ corner found Berat Gjimshiti and his bullet header levelled things up.

Less than 100 seconds later, déjà vu, another Koopmeiners corner from the right caused chaos with Gjimshiti this time volleying Atalanta in front.

This result means la Dea do boast the advantage in this tie but it is only a slender one.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side appeared in the Champions League group stages for the their successive season this year but only managed to finish third.

In spite of this, they will start be targeting Europa League success, last winning a knockout tie in this competition in 1991 when they made the quarter-finals.

Domestically though, la Dea’s form has tailed off, losing 1-0 at Stadio Artemio Franchi to Fiorentina on Sunday.

This means they’ve only won one of their last eight Serie A matches so sit fifth, having also exited the Coppa Italia in this time frame.

Olympiacos meanwhile have won 21 of the last 25 Greek Super League titles and are well on course for yet more silverware.

Mathieu Valbuena came off the bench on Sunday to score the only goal in a 1-0 win at Volos, leaving them 11 points clear at the top.

Given this domestic domination, the pressure is on Pedro Martins to deliver European results.

The Red-Whites were actually dumped out of Champions League qualifying back in August, losing on penalties to Ludogorets Razgrad.

Nevertheless, they went on to finish second in Europa League Group D, below Eintracht Frankfurt but above Fenerbahçe and Royal Antwerp.

Now though, can they turn this tie around with a memorable victory at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium?

Olympiacos team news

Pedro Martins rested a few key players at the weekend, but all the big-hitters will be back for this must win match.

These include veteran centre-backs Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Kostas Manolas, the latter rejoined from Napoli in January.

Yann M’Vila will also be back in the XI, as will their two eye-catching attackers.

Tiquinho Soares, who got the goal in Bergamo, and weekend match winner Mathieu Valbuena will both start after both were on the bench against Volos.

Youssef El-Arabi has scored 16 goals in UEFA competition since arriving from Al-Duhail in 2019 but is likely to be a substitute.

Atalanta team news

Atalanta live streaming

Gian Piero Gasperini meanwhile is missing key players at opposite ends of the pitch.

Centre-back José Luis Palomino hasn’t featured in each of the last three games due to injury.

In attack, Josip Iličić is on compassionate leave while Colombian duo Luis Muriel, who went off a week ago, and Duván Zapata are both injured.

So Jérémie Boga, who arrived from Sassuolo last month, could partner Ruslan Malinovskyi again in a make-shift attack.

At wing-back, Joakim Mæhle and Giuseppe Pezzella could return after Hans Hateboer and Davide Zappacosta get the nod at Fiorentina.

Greek Super League table:

Serie A table:

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Picture of Ben Gray

Ben Gray

Arsenal fan – follow them over land and sea (and Leicester); sofa Celtic supporter; a bit of a football '"encyclopedia".

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