The Europa League is now in full swing, we’ve reached the half way stage of the opening group section, and things are taking shape nicely.
With 24 fixtures across Europe on Thursday it is difficult to keep track on all the movers and shakers but FC Copenhagen are taken on with confidence at home to PSV Eindhoven and I’ve no idea why they are favourites.
I can’t fathom why the Dutch side are such underdogs given that they have travelled with a full strength first team squad and the return of the influential Danny Koevermans is also a positive. They got the better of the Danes on Matchday 3 without the Dutch international and a win for the visitors would all but secure their place in the knockout stages.
While PSV are not the force that reached the last four of the Champions League under Guus Hiddink the 1988 European Cup Winners are still a force to be reckoned with and couldn’t be in better form. Fred Rutten’s men are unbeaten in 15 Eredivisie and Europa League matches this season and it is hard to fathom just why the hosts are no bigger than 2.50 with the bookmakers.
The clash between the pair at the Philips Stadion a fortnight ago was a pretty drab affair but PSV were able to triumph despite Jonathan Reis’ penalty miss, he went on to get the winner incidentally, and avoiding defeat in Copenhagen shouldn’t prove a problem.
PSV have not conceded a goal in their last six competitive matches in all competitions and have already registered some impressive victories on their travels. Thumping recent wins at Feyenoord and NEC were supplemented by a decent performance when drawing 2-2 away versus Sparta Prague in this tournament and they should have nothing to fear.
PSV’s strength is their solid looking spine and Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson is ably protected by the likes of Andre Ooijer in defence. Orlando Engelaar provides a firm foundation in midfield for Ibrahim Affelay to support Koevermans and Reis and front to back PSV look stronger than Thursday’s opponents.
FC Copenhagen themselves are going well in the Danish Superliga but this is a step up in class again and they have struggled against the better sides this season. Ståle Solbakken’s men have already been between twice, 2-0 to CFR Cluj in addition to the defeat in Holland, and this is a far cry from the side that gave Manchester United so much trouble in the Champions League in the recent past.
3pts Lay FC Copenhagen (vs. PSV) @ 2.60 (Betfair)