Europa League gameweek 4 preview and predictions

We are at the halfway point of the Europa League group stage, and three of the four Portuguese teams competing harbour strong ambitions to qualify for the knockout round.

Porto, Sporting and Braga all remain in contention to make it out of their respective groups, while Wolverhampton Wanderers and their heavy Portuguese contingent also remain hopeful of advancing to the first knockout round.

Here, we look to predict the scores of each of the matches of Portuguese interest:

Vitoria Guimaraes vs Arsenal

One side that don’t really have any hope in advancing past the group stage is Vitoria Guimaraes - and that’s despite showing some good quality in each of their three group stage games.

But for all of their quality and endeavour, Guimaraes have no points to show for their efforts, which is an unfortunate reality for the Portuguese club.

While they have done a tremendous job just to progress to the group stage of Europe’s secondary competition, there would be significant disappointment if they finished the group stage with nothing to show for their hard work, and if they take anything at all from their home clash with Arsenal, they can hold their heads up high.

Considering the financial disparity between Vitoria and Arsenal, the fact that Guimaraes came just 10 minutes away from claiming victory over the London club at The Emirates two weeks shows just how significantly Guimaraes have been punching above their weight, and fans will be hoping for a repeat of the performance, even if not the result, in their clash with Arsenal on Wednesday.

However, it is hard to envisage Guimaraes getting anything from this game, even with the home advantage, particularly now Arsenal know what to expect of their Portuguese opponents.

They may put on a good show for their fans, but this is a game Arsenal really should be winning.

Prediction: Guimaraes 1-3 Arsenal.

Rangers vs FC Porto

Well, this group is beginning to get very complicated indeed. It was always said that, for a Europa League group, this was almost as tough as they come, with it very difficult to decipher the teams from pot 2, 3 and 4. They are all very well matched.

However, Porto were expected to still make it out of this group with relative ease, a Champions League calibre team expected to make little work of a group made up of what is essentially three pot 4 Champions League sides.

But Porto have just 4 points from their opening 3 games, and qualification is far from assured, particularly with two away matches still to come.

A loss to Rangers in Scotland would be catastrophic to Porto’s chances of qualifying from the group, but it certainly isn’t going to be easy. While Porto came close to taking all 3 points in the reverse fixture two weeks ago, Rangers were more than good value for their point in Portugal, and fully deserved to take something from the game. If Porto struggled in front of their own fans, they are in for an incredibly tough task at Ibrox, a stadium renowned for a tremendous atmosphere and a highly challenging place to play for any away side.

Porto would likely take a draw right now - and I think that’s what they’re going to get.

Prediction: Rangers 1-1 Porto

Rosenborg vs Sporting

Sporting have made a really awkward start to this season, both in the Primeira Liga and in the Europa League, failing to impress in either competition.

However, while they have been unable to make any sort of title challenge in the Portuguese top flight, they have been picking up points on the continental stage, and currently sit 2nd in the group with 6 points from their opening 3 games.

Their performances certainly haven’t merited that return though. In their home clash with Austrain outfit LASK, they were second best throughout the game, but somehow secured a vital 2-1 win thanks to two second-half goals.

They then put in another tepid display against Rosenborg, again in front of their own fans, and only managed to grab the win thanks to a heavily fortuitous deflection from Yannick Bolasie’s header in the 70th minute. A poor 1-0 win over Rosenborg, who had previously conceded 4 goals against PSV.

They now have to face Rosenborg in Norway - and the task ahead of them will therefore be even tougher. Nothing short of a win will be acceptable in their bid to advance to the round of 32, and on paper, you would certainly expect Sporting to win.

However, they come into this game having lost another match they were fully expected to win, conceding very late to lose 1-0 away to Tondela.

I predict that Sporting will bounce back with a win though. It won’t be pretty, but Sporting should just about get the job done.

Prediction: Rosenborg 1-2 Sporting CP.

Braga vs Besiktas

Braga’s victory over Besiktas in Turkey was absolutely huge in the context of the group - and it really could have gone the other way.

Having just equalised in the return leg, Besiktas were quickly awarded a penalty - and had they scored that to go 2-1 up on the night, the game would have almost certainly had a different outcome. Luckily for Braga though, Ljajic’s 74th minute penalty struck the post, and Braga went up the other end 6 minutes later to secure all 3 points.

It puts Braga top of the table on 7 points, 7 points above their Turkish opponents who absolutely need to pick up points in Portugal to have any chance at all of making the knockout stages.

Braga come into this game in poor form domestically though, having earned just 1 point from their last 2 league games and sitting 10th in the table. The Europa League is therefore a welcome relief for Braga.

But will they secure all three points? Surprisingly, their away form in the Europa League this season has been better than their home form, and it is hard to see them winning this one, facing a side starting to get their season up and running and desperate for points. Considering the result in Turkey, a draw would be a good result for Braga - and that’s what I anticipate they will get.

Prediction: Braga 1-1 Besiktas.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Slovan Bratislava

Wolves have got their Europa League campaign firmly back on track after a blip against Braga on the opening day of the group stage, and have 6 points from their first two matches.

They’re sitting comfortably in 2nd place in the group, and a victory over pot 4 side Slovan Bratislava will all but confirm their place in the knockout stages, giving them a 5 point gap to their Slovakian opponents, and at least a 6 point gap to Besiktas.

And while Bratislava have performed above most people’s pre-tournament expectations so far, with 4 points on the board from their opening 3 games, you can’t look beyond the home side for this one. Their comeback in the reverse fixture two weeks ago shows that there is a great fighting spirit amongst the team, and their quality should come through.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Slovan Bratislava.