Genk vs. Celta Vigo Preview
Where: Cristal Arena – Genk, Belgium
When: Thursday, April 20, 2017, 3:05 PM ET
Line: Genk +147 vs. Celta Vigo +154, tie +220; total: 3.0 – view all Europa League lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN3
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Betting on Genk (+147)
Genk may be down 3-2 at the halfway point of their Europa League quarterfinal with Celta Vigo, but they will still fancy their chances of going through to the semis. They are unbeaten at home in this season’s Europa League, winning seven consecutive games before the 1-1 stalemate in the round of 16 home leg against fellow countrymen Gent. Genk’s defense has been rock-solid during that eight-game span, conceding just twice.
Genk will also be buoyed by the fact that they are unbeaten at home against Spanish sides in UEFA competitions. They have a win and three draws in four matches against Spanish opposition. A 1-0 victory will be enough for Genk to advance so there’s no need for the Belgian outfit to be rash on the attacking front. The onus then is on goalkeeper Mat Ryan to provide stability to a Genk side that’s appearing in its first-ever major UEFA quarterfinal. His wonderful save 11 minutes from full time in the first leg kept the tie alive for Genk.
Betting on Celta Vigo (+154)
It is advantage Celta Vigo at the halfway point of this epic European tie after the Spanish outfit edged past Genk, 3-2, in their first leg clash last Thursday. Pione Sisto, Iago Aspas and John Guidetti scored for Celta, who are just 90 minutes away from securing their first-ever European semifinal.
With Celta holding a slim one-goal advantage, it’s crucial for Eduardo Berizzo’s men to pack the midfield and pick apart Genk on the counter-attack. Fortunately for Berizzo, he can utilize the speedy Aspas for this specific game plan. The 29-year-old has been superb for Celta in this competition, scoring five goals and dishing out two assists in nine Europa League matches this season.
A draw would be enough for Celta to advance and they are more than capable of achieving that because of their offensive firepower. Celta have scored in every Europa League game this season. They have scored exactly two goals in each of their last four road trips in Europe.
Writer’s Prediction
Celta Vigo (+154) edge past Genk, 2-1.
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