For those able to trade, the Guangzhou match was excellent. They were at home, managed by Marcello Lippi no less, and 0-2 down to the Melbourne Victory. Guangzhou entered the 2nd half priced at 11.5 to win, and won 4-2. I was confident here as I could watch the match and the home support were amazing as was a player called Diamante. This AFC Champions League can turn out some great matches for trading.

So DRT's lurk around every corner!
Dinamo Tbilisi scored first in a match of little appeal. They have now lost 2 consecutive home matches. Stick that in your notebook.

Real Madrid spanked Schalke. No DRT's there!
Chelsea went for the 0-1 and nearly pulled it off. It ended 1-1

Today is the Europa League and I won't be researching in too much depth. It is simply an unappealing competition and I'd rather focus my attention on Saturday/Sunday research. I'll mention a few matches, predominantly strong odds on teams . These are 2nd leg matches today so we'll take our cues from teams needing something this 2nd leg.

Don't forget you can DRT the tennis. Federer was backable at about 2.20 odds yesterday against Stepanek before winning the match.  Andy Murray lost the first set yesterday and went on to win the match easily. So do take a look at the in-play tennis coupon and just keep an eye out for potential upsets. Top 10 players seem the most reliable in digging themselves out of a hole.

I make no apologies for less than enthusiastic research today. The Europa League tends to do that to me. It is not a competition I trade in and you should tread warily too. I suppose we have a clearer idea with these 2nd legs as to what to expect. I will largely be keeping my powder dry and waiting for some solid ( and readable) league action to come.

5pm - Rubin Kazan v Betis - 1.72 home
Standout stats

• 1-1 from the first leg. Rubin got a man sent off in the 28th minute, and also scored their equaliser via a penalty.

Rubin Kazan

• unbeaten in 14 EL matches
• 3 1-1 scorelines in the last 5 matches
• Must guard against a Betis away goal. If Betis score, Rubin must equalise. Is that an angle in?
• 6 wins and a 1-1 at home in the EL

Betis

• only 3 wins in 20 in all competitions does not augur well today.
• 5 defeats and a 0-0 in their last 6 away matches, compounded by an inability to score in 4 of their last 5.
• have scored in all 4 bar a 1-0 loss latest, away in the EL since 2013
• A very deliberate EL ploy it seems, of judged by the recent scorelines of 0-0, 1-1, 1-0 (win), 1-0 (win), 1-0 (loss), 0-0, 1-1
• What chance another under 2.5 goals match today? Their opponents could only score via a penalty in the 1st leg and they might be vulnerable at odds on?

Profitable in play opportunities

• another tight match in prospect, as is Betis's habit in this competition? remember Rubin only scored via a penalty. Back 0-0 pre match ( again?) to lay off as late as you dare?

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6pm - Napoli v Swansea - 1.51 home

Standout stats

• This is 0-0 from the first leg so is all to play for.
• Team news is key here as Napoli have the classier personnel. 

Napoli

• 2 consecutive draws now -a sequence they'd like to end.
• only 2 defeats in 18 matches
• only 3 home defeats since January  2013 should see Napoli hard to beat.
• A poor Europa League record suggests a shuffling of the pack? 3 defeats and a 0-0 v Swans in their last 4 matches. Failing to score in last 3 matches.
• Napoli lost their last 2 Europa League matches at home to PSV and Plzen.

Swansea

• tough to read to be honest with a new manager and thus a change in tactics inevitable.
• a great recent performance against Liverpool away might provide some hope today. Bony a key goal scorer.
• only 3 wins in 17 away
• 1st time in the Europa League and a 0-3 away win v Valencia the standout result

Profitable in play opportunities

• this epitomises why I don't like the Europa League. Napoli's form suggests this is a league they couldn't care less about, despite having a breathtaking home record - is that home record enough for us to side with Napoli?
• Swansea are in poor form and have a new manager so are tough to read.

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6pm - Red Bull Salzburg v Ajax - 1.64 home

Standout stats

• 3 first half goals, the first a penalty, suggests Red Bull have the measure of Ajax. This looks like a dead rubber unless Ajax win 3-0 to bring the match to parity.
• Salzburg have won all of their 2013 EL matches 
• Ajax have won only 2 of their last 7 EL matches. 

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6pm - Sevilla v NK Maribor - 1.25 home

Standout stats

• 2-2 from the first leg. Sevilla conceded first, led 1-2 and conceded last.
• Do away goals count? If so, it's simply a 0-0 for Sevilla and they are through. A 1-0 pretty much nails it.

Sevilla

• only 1 win in 8 matches a worry ( 4 score draws).
• only 2 home wins in 10 matches is also a concern.
• unbeaten in 12 Europa League( EL) matches
• 4 score draws in their last 5 EL matches
• 2 consecutive 1-1 draws at home in the EL , a sequence worth ending? It will , though, ensure Sevilla go through.

Maribor

• coming from a winter break. 5-5-6-4-4 total goals in last 5 matches.
• only 2 wins since 2004 in the EL away from home and only 3 wins in 20.

Profitable in play opportunities

• Sevilla are in poor form. They have 2 1-1 draws at home in this competition , a sequence to end? 
• Maribor are coming off a winter break and we saw with Zenit, they can be ring rusty. Maribor have very poor form so if scoring first, I'd lay Maribor.

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6pm  - Shakhtar v Plzen - 1.38 home

Standout stats

• 1-1 from the first leg and Plzen scored first

Shakhtar

• just coming off the back of the winter break.
• the only teams to have beaten Shakhtar at home since September 2012( could be earlier but soccerway starts at this date) are Juventus, Dinamo Moscow and Zenit.
• only 1 recent match, the last EL form was 2010 and much has changed in that time re:- personnel and management.
• historically, Shakhtar have not lost at home in the EL since February 2006

Plzen

• only 2 defeats in 14 matches came at the hands of Bayern Munich and Manchester City. None too shabby to lose to those 2.
• only 2 away draws in 2013 in all competitions.
• no win in 3 EL matches, a loss to Fenerbahce, and 2 score draws v Fenerbahce and Shakhtar.
• have scored in their last 3 aways in the EL including 2 1-1 draws.

Profitable in play opportunities

• these are 2 of the better European sides and it's tough for me to split them, as indeed it was tough for one to take a lead in the first leg. 
• Shakhtar's home form in all competitions is exemplary and perhaps suggests they will not lose.
• A win is required by both sides to progress, and if Plzen score first, then they must be favoured. Expect therefore a rearguard action from Shakhtar to avoid a potentially calamitous concession.
• Only 3 draws away for Plzen in all competitions suggests we might be able to lay the draw as late as possible with both sides, too, seeking that win.

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805pm - AZ Alkmaar v Slovan Liberec - 1.65 home

Standout stats

• this match hangs in the balance after an 89th minute winner for AZ which provides them with an away goal upon which to build.
• the market strongly favours the home side to consolidate.

AZ

• are undefeated in 7 EL matches , they won 3 of their last 4 to nil.
• since 2011 in the EL, at home, only 2 teams ( Anzhi -when they had money!!, and atromitos) have beaten AZ

Slovan Liberec

• Slovan Liberec are another of those "winter break" teams, with only friendlies and something called the "Atlantic Cup" under their belts in recent weeks.
• Before the 0-1 loss to AZ, Slovan had scored and conceded in 11 consecutive EL matches.
• they have scored and conceded in their last 7 away matches in the EL too and are unbeaten in their last 5, drawing with the likes of Sevilla and beating Udinese. So I would not necessarily discount Slovan

Profitable in play opportunities

• AZ look way too short based upon the solitary meeting with Slovan. They do have a good recent EL record of 2 wins in 4.
• Slovan are back from the winter break and have a good habit of scoring and conceding. Should they score first today , then the match will be on parity. 
• Will this be as tight as the first match where only an 89th minute goal separated the 2 sides?

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805pm - Benfica v PAOK - 1.41 home

Standout stats

• a 59th minute Benfica goal separates these 2 sides.
• Benfica need a 0-0 to go through bare minimum. 
• PAOK need to replicate the 0-1 away result to prolong the EL journey.

Benfica

• 12 clean sheets in 13 matches in all competitions produces 12 wins and a 1-1 draw.
• the last 2 home defeats since July 2013 came in friendlies.
• 8 consecutive home wins and 7 consecutive clean sheets.
• 2013 defeats in the EL came via Fenerbahce and Chelsea.
• that Chelsea win at Benfica was the only home defeat in the EL since August 2009.

PAOK

• 15 matches without a draw, and a draw really will not benefit PAOK today
• 4 defeats in their last 7 in all competitions.
• 4 defeats and a win in their last 5 away matches
• only 2 wins in 6 EL matches.
• only 3 defeats in 24 EL matches though so a shot across the bow for Benfica.
• 4 clean sheets in 6 EL aways and only 1 EL defeat in 13 matches

Profitable in play opportunities

• a defensive tussle this evening I am sure. Benfica are the clean sheet kings and a clean sheet or a score draw sees them safely through.
• PAOK must win 0-1 at the very least and avoid any draws in order to qualify. 
• What is our angle in here? Do we back 0-0 pre match ( at its highest point) and hope this is as tight as the first leg?

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805pm - Fiorentina v Esbjerg - 1.24 home

Standout stats

• 3-1 in Fiorentina's favour from the first leg ( the last goal was an own goal) Esjberg scored so there is some shred of hope for them. They must score first today to ensure a lively encounter.
• A dead rubber of sorts for Fiorentina and they must avoid a 3-0 defeat as Esjberg will go through. 3 away goals should have this nailed for Fiorentina.
• The market expects them to press on.They have scored 3-3-2 at home in recent EL wins.
• 5 consecutive away defeats without scoring must change today for Esjberg

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805pm - Tottenham v Dnipro - 1.56 home

Standout stats

• 2 consecutive 1-0 defeats plays 2 consecutive 1-0 wins. The only thing separating these 2 was an 81st minute penalty suggesting Spurs have the advantage at home and a need to score first as they failed to score away from home.
• My angle here will be favouring Spurs .
• If Dnipro score first though it could be sayonara for Sherwood as Spurs will need to win 3-1 to account for the away goal.
• Perhaps 3-1 is a good throwaway correct score position to take this evening in the anticipation of a Dnipro goal?
• An alternative route would be backing the 0-0 pre match given Spurs must not concede and Dnipro are defending a 1-0.

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805pm - Trabzonspor v Juventus - 1.64 away

Standout stats

• a routine 2-0 home win for Juventus insured against an away goal and they are clearly in control of this tie. They merely need to score to give Trabzonspor a mountain to climb. A 0-0 suits Juventus, as will any score draw. Trabzonspor must win 2-0 bar minimum in order to prolong the tie.
• Juventus have an away match to Milan on the 2nd March  and that might engender changes?
• As you can see with this Europa League it's a real toughie to "get an angle in" as Juventus can tolerate a 1-0 loss or even a 2-1 loss.

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805pm - Valencia v Dinamo Kiev - 1.64 home

Standout stats

• 79th and 90th minute winners for Valencia put the gloss on a 0-2 away win which was obviously a tough encounter for them. This is the same scoreline as Juventus above, only the home and aways are altered. 2 away goals for Valencia sees them needing a score draw or a 0-0 bare minimum to progress. A 0-1 win will be tolerable.

Valencia

• 5 wins and a draw in their last 6 EL matches
• Since 2003 in the EL, valencia have only lost to Atl Madrid ( who always took this competition extremely seriously) and Swansea.

Dinamo Kiev

• their most recent matches have been friendlies during the winter break so they are really lacking competitive football and this is a stretch today away to a Primeria Liga club who count a win over Barcelona in their recent form

Profitable in play opportunities

• it all boils down to whether you think the away side can win 0-2 at least to prolong the round. I think Valencia have been playing league matches versus a team playing winter break friendlies and they should assert at home despite the need for only a 0-0 

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