Live on ITV 4 & Five: Thu 20.05: Ladbrokes make Bilbao 8/11 favs to reach the Europa League final where they could meet Atletico Madrid.
Athletic Bilbao trail 2-1 to Sporting Lisbon after the first leg of the pair’s Europa League semi-final tie but back on home soil, the La Liga outfit, conquerors of Manchester United earlier in the competition, can overturn the deficit and reach the final.
Ladbrokes make Marcelo Bielsa’s charges 8/11 to get through at the expense of their Portuguese opponents, who are 6/5 with Skybet in the same market but it’s the second leg hosts that should have the edge.
Sporting struck twice in the final 15 minutes to give themselves a strong chance of progression but Bilbao are strong at San Mames, where they have lost just once in all competitions since late November and they won’t let a lead slip a second time.
William Hill rate the home side at 15/2 to book safe passage by securing a 2-0 triumph, BetVictor quote them at 3/5 to win the match and in attack Fernando Llorente is 10/3 (Boylesports) to break the deadlock.
The other tie isn’t quite as delicately poised with Atletico Madrid just 1/3 via Paddy Power to reach a second Europa League final in three years having beaten Valencia 4-2 in the first leg. Los Che should be able to reduce the arrears back at the Mestalla and indeed they’re odds-on at 19/20 courtesy of William Hill to card a second-leg victory but they’re unlikely to do enough to reach May’s final in Bucharest.
Recommended Bets:
Fernando Llorente to score first – 10/3 (Boylesports)
Double on Athletic Bilbao and Valencia – 21/10 (William Hill)
Compare all Europa League odds and bet at the best price.
