Dynamo Kiev may be best bet in open Europa League
Published:Having already been responsible for knocking favourites Manchester City out of the Europa League, Dynamo Kiev must now seriously fancy their chances of going all of the way in the competition.
Kiev have never won the Europa League in any of its former guises, but will be optimistic of beating Braga in the quarter finals, particularly after the tie was switched so that they play their home leg first.
The Ukrainians are 11/2 in the Europa League betting and will take confidence from the results their compatriots Shakhtar Donetsk gained when facing Braga in the Champions League group stages earlier this season.
Shakhtar beat Braga in both of their meetings and would have won 5-0 on aggregate if the results were played over two legs.
Meanwhile, the draw was kind to Dynamo Kiev, as they would avoid the two favourites – Porto and Villarreal – until the final.
Beating Braga over two legs would instead take Kiev through to a semi final with either PSV Eindhoven or Benfica.
Therefore, there is every likelihood that Kiev will have to beat three Portuguese teams to win the Europa League.
Porto are perhaps rightly the favourites in the Europa League betting at 9/4 based on their dominance of the Portuguese league, dropping only four points through their opening 24 games of the campaign.
After knocking CSKA Moscow out in the second round, Porto face a return to the Russian city in the quarter finals after being drawn against Spartak Moscow.
The other quarter final pits the final Spanish team left in the competition Villarreal against FC Twente.
Twente manager Michel Preud’homme has admitted that his team go into the tie as the underdogs, with Villarreal 7/2 to win the Europa League.
A £20 stake on Dynamo Kiev winning the Europa League would return £110. New customers can sign up here to take advantage of free bets totalling up to £60.
