Rubin Kazan have a wonderful European home record and should sweep past hapless Real Betis on Thursday.
This last 32 Europa League clash is seemingly finely poised following a 1-1 draw in Spain last week but Betis have won just three La Liga matches all season and there appears only one possible outcome to me.
Betis are staring relegation in the face and have yet to triumph on the road his season, astonishingly netting just four times in 12 top flight matches.
Their efforts on the Continent have been better, losing just once during the group stage, but only two away goals arrived in three matches and I love the look of Rubin Kazan at around the 4/6 mark in Russia.
Rubin are no world-beaters but it is 12 wins in their last 15 Europa League matches on home soil and they are well worthy of support.
In fact, Rubin have lost just twice in 25 matches in this competition in recent seasons and those reversals were to Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, two powerhouses of European football.
Sides from the Russian Premier League have fared well in the Europa League over the last decade and it is easy enough to ignore Rubin’s patchy domestic form.
That form came prior to Christmas and the worry is that the mid-winter break will catch out the hosts.
However, the outing last week will have done Rinat Bilyaletdinov’s men the world of good and Rubin should be significantly sharper for the run.
Roman Eremenko’s second half penalty for Rubin that night could yet prove crucial and a fast start from the hosts might well see the visitor’s heads drop given their lack of confidence.
3pts Back Rubin Kazan (vs. Real Betis) @ 4/6 (Coral)