We’re heading towards crunch time in the Europa Conference League, as the groups begin to take their final shapes and a range of teams big and small stare down the barrel of elimination. With three different bands of kickoffs, the afternoon and evening are chock-full of action from Europe’s most thrilling continental competition.
Early Kickoffs
Group B
A fixture with little riding on it, European debutants Flora Tallinn host Cypriots Anorthosis Famagusta in Estonia as both sides search for their first win of the competition and aim to avoid finishing last. The Estonians will have taken heart from a smash-and-grab draw in Cyprus; Anorthosis will be looking for a statement victory to remember their time in this season’s competition. An Anorthosis win feels the most likely outcome, but it could go either way.
Group H
A win for Azeri heavyweights Qarabağ in their trip across the Caspian to Kairat will see them all but assured of qualification with two games to go – but the Kazakhs put up a strong showing in Baku last time out, and a win would keep their slim chances of progression alive. Of the two early kickoffs, this is probably more compelling despite the likelihood of a Qarabağ win.
Stand-Out Early Kickoff:
FC Kairat vs Qarabağ FK
Middle Kickoffs
Group A
The Conference League’s first group is also, at this stage, one of its least promising, with only the competition between LASK and Maccabi Tel-Aviv for top spot providing much intrigue. Both teams again face off against the group’s weaker opposition this time out, with LASK hosting Alashkert in Austria and HJK making the long trip from Finland to Israel to face Maccabi. It’s hard to see any outcomes other than LASK and Maccabi wins here, with next gameweek’s duel between the two looking like Group A’s focal point.
Group B
Gent got the better of Partizan in Belgrade last time out. The Belgians are all but certain of qualification, and could be through before kickoff if Flora and Anorthosis can only manage a repeat of last gameweek’s draw. The Serbs won’t go quietly, however – their home loss to Gent last time out was a narrow one. They’ll still be in a strong position for qualification even if they lose again tonight, but are in with a shout of regaining control of the group. I’m predicting a score draw here, as both teams have much to gain and little to lose.
Group C
I had the grave misfortune of watching Zorya Luhansk and CSKA Sofia‘s last duel, a game whose first 20 minutes of BT coverage were in muffled Bulgarian and whose first hour was an exhibition of toe-curlingly turgid football. Happily, the last half-hour was by far the game’s liveliest, with Zorya scoring a lovely goal and surviving a host of late penalty shouts to take home three vital points which keep them in touching distance of Bodø/Glimt and Roma. Repeating the trick at “home” in Zaporizhzhia (Zorya are exiles from Luhansk due to the ongoing civil war) would see the Ukrainians, who looked dead and buried after two games, complete a remarkable recovery and give themselves a real chance of progressing, while an aggrieved Sofia will be keen to avenge what they might (reasonably) see as a robbery aided and abetted by poor officiating last time out. I fancy Zorya to seize the moment and notch up another win here.
Group D
Flying high domestically, Danish side Randers will have taken heart from their battling 2-2 draw away to Jablonec in their last outing. Converting home advantage into a win would give them every chance of finishing second in the group – a chance which the Czechs, struggling terribly domestically and winless in their last six league games, will be desperate not to pass up themselves. This ought to be one of the highlights of the central round of kickoffs, and a Randers win seems the most likely outcome. AZ, meanwhile, will turn a promising position atop the group into a very strong one if they can repeat last gameweek’s victory over Cluj in Alkmaar – which I’m backing them to do.
Group E
No middle kickoffs
Group F
I would not have fancied Slovan Bratislava to make it out of a group which also contains PAOK and FC København before the tournament kicked off, but the latter’s misstep at home last time out offered Slovan a lifeline which, at home to Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps, they duly took in an emphatic 2-0 win. While the Gibraltarians might have their morale boosted by home advantage this time, it’s hard to see past another Slovan win – which would pile the pressure on both PAOK and København.
Group G
No middle kickoffs
Group H
Basel are, like Qarabağ, playing to all but guarantee qualification; Omonia Nicosia are, like Kairat, playing for little more than pride at this stage. The Swiss outfit, having dealt with their last game professionally, will be hoping to make further use of their European pedigree on their travels to Cyprus and return with a vital three points. Not many would bet against that Basel win.
Stand-Out Middle Kickoffs
KAA Gent – FK Partizan
Zorya Luhansk – CSKA Sofia
Randers FC – FK Jablonec
Late Kickoffs
Group A
No late kickoffs
Group B
No late kickoffs
Group C
Bodø/Glimt‘s 6-1 home humiliation of Roma last time out was, simply, one of the most remarkable games of football I’ve ever watched. Roma were wretched, but they were also simply outclassed by the Norwegian champions, who tore through their defence time after time. The Italians will be out for revenge tonight, and you would expect their fans to make it plain that only a win is acceptable. Despite Bodø/Glimt’s heroics at home I still think we’ll see a Roma win, although on last time’s showing the Giallorossi could well end the evening facing a quiet midweek schedule come the spring.
Group D
No middle kickoffs
Group E
Union Berlin have been one of Europe’s more remarkable success stories of late, rising from the second tier to seize European football in their inaugural Bundesliga campaign. Feyenoord reminded Union of the value of European experience last time out, however, administering a commanding 3-1 beating at De Kuip. Union will still be smarting from that harsh lesson but, compelled to play in rivals Hertha’s Nazi stadium due to UEFA regulations, it’s hard to see them treating Feyenoord to one in kind. A likely Feyenoord win at the Olympiastadion will see the Dutch side all but assured of qualification. Slavia Praha, meanwhile, slipped to a surprise defeat away to Maccabi Haifa in their last meeting, and will be hoping to restart their stuttering Europa Conference campaign with a home win. While Maccabi will doubtless provide spirited opposition, their winning goal over Slavia last gameweek is also their only goal in the group stage to date; I would expect a Slavia win as the Czechs exploit that bluntness, leaving Slavia and Feyenoord best-placed to qualify with two games to go.
Group F
If Slovan Bratislava manage another win over Lincoln Red Imps – and it will constitute a major shock if they don’t – then any loser in the late game between PAOK and FC København could find themselves third with two games to go. Although København will be keen to make amends after an early red card set them up for defeat last time out, a raucous home atmosphere in Thessaloniki could well inspire PAOK to produce something special. I’m inclined to predict a PAOK win tonight, which would leave the much-heralded Danes facing up to the prospect of an undignified early exit.
Group G
Tottenham have changed their manager since their B-team limped to defeat away to Vitesse Arnhem last time out and, while new manager Antonio Conte has an infamous European hoodoo, this competition neverthless offers a better opportunity for both him and Tottenham to consign those memories to the past. To do so Spurs will need to put in a much-improved performance against a Vitesse team who are thriving domestically, since anything other than the likely Spurs win will leave them teetering on the brink of elimination. Group leaders Rennes, who have recovered from a slow domestic start in some style, should meanwhile make short work of Slovene minnows Mura, with a near-certain Rennes win all but guaranteeing the Bretons qualification.
Group H
No late kickoffs
Stand-Out Late Kickoffs
PAOK – FC København
Union Berlin – Feyenoord Rotterdam
AS Roma – FK Bodø/Glimt
