Europa League Betting: Hot-shot Harry to net again

Europa League Betting: Hot-shot Harry to net again

We've reached the last 16 of the Europa League, and Kevin Hatchard's back with four more selections.

Spurs to impress again

Tottenham v Dinamo Zagreb
Thursday 11 March, 20:00
Live on BT Sport

Spurs fans seem to have been attached to a massive mental pendulum this season, swinging between thinking Jose Mourinho's brand of football is a disastrous affront to the club and believing that he really could be the man to finally deliver some silverware. They are in the latter zone at the moment after a run of four straight wins in all competitions. Gareth Bale looks like the Gareth Bale that plays for Wales, Harry Kane is banging them into the top corner from distance, and all is right with the world.

That feelgood factor should continue against a sometimes-obdurate but limited Dinamo Zagreb. The Croatian champions have dangerous players like Mislav Orsic, Bruno Petkovic and Swiss striker Mario Gavranovic, and they beat Champions League dropouts Krasnodar home and away in the previous round. However, Tottenham are really clicking in attack at present, and it appears that Mourinho will select a strong team, including Kane and Bale.

Tottenham have won all of their UEL home games this term, and I'll back them to win and Kane to score at 1.92 on the Sportsbook's Same Game Multi. Kane has netted in eight of his last 15 appearances.

Granada to extend their fairytale

Granada v Molde
Thursday 11 March, 20:00
Live on BT Sport Digital

It's been quite an adventure for Granada and their outstanding coach Diego Martinez. Having been forced to retire as a player at just 20, Martinez has spent the last two decades developing his coaching skills (he was a youth boss at Sevilla and a senior coach at Osasuna) and he has worked wonders at Los Carmenes.

Martinez took the club into La Liga at the first attempt, and he then finished seventh in the top flight, securing the club's maiden foray into European competition. Granada have won in Eindhoven against PSV in the group stage, and produced a gritty two-legged effort to knock out Italian giants Napoli in the last 32.

Now the La Liga side take on Molde, and they are in the unfamiliar position of being favourites. The Norwegians took advantage of sloppiness from German side Hoffenheim in the previous round, but their league season doesn't start for another month, and they didn't exactly pull up any trees in the group stage. They have done well to get this far, but this should be the end of the road.

If you take games against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid out of the equation, Granada have won five of their last six home games, and they can overwhelm their undercooked opponents. I'll back Granada -1.0 & -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at 2.0. If they win by a goal, we only lose half our stake, and if they win by two we get a winner at evens.

Fonseca to overcome familiar foe

Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk

Thursday 11 March, 20:00
Live on BT Sport Digital

There's plenty to link Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk ahead of Thursday's showdown in the Italian capital. Roma coach Paulo Fonseca had three successful years with Shakhtar, while current Giallorossi midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan came to prominence with the Ukrainian giants.

Roma are in the mix for Champions League qualification in Serie A, although they have been hamstrung by their inability to win the big games against the best clubs. They have had no such issues in the Europa League - they breezed through the group stage and impressively beat Braga (another former haunt of Fonseca) home and away in the last 32. They have won their last three home matches in the UEL, scoring at least three times in each of those victories.

Shakhtar are a hard side to read. They beat Real Madrid home and away in the Champions League, but also lost 6-0 and 4-0 to Borussia Mönchengladbach. In the semi-finals of this competition last term, they crumbled to a 5-0 defeat against Inter. Luis Castro's side have lost two of their last three domestic matches, and that's a rare occurrence.

Despite some injuries in defence, Roma look to be in better shape here. They have won five of their last six home matches in all competitions, but I fancy Shakhtar to grab an away goal, so I'll back Roma to win and BTTS at 3.1.

Ajax to secure narrow advantage

Ajax v Young Boys
Thursday 11 March, 17:55
Live on BT Sport Digital

If your coach is being linked with high-profile jobs, it may be unsettling, but it's usually a sign things are going well. Having built a massive lead at the top of the Swiss Super League and having beaten Bayer Leverkusen twice in the round of 32, Young Boys' boss Gerardo Seoane's stock is rising quickly. His side presses well, is cleverly organised and has quality in attack with Jean-Pierre Nsame and Theoson-Jordan Siebatcheu.

However, this clash with Ajax maybe a step too far, despite the success against Bayer. Ajax beat a very good Lille side home and away in the previous round, and they have once again taken control of the Eredivisie title race.

Ajax have won 13 of their last 14 games in all competitions, but I think Young Boys will be competitive. Only one of those 13 Ajax victories featured more than four goals, so I'll double up a home win with an Under 4.5 Goals bet on the Same Game Multi at 1.87.