Another Thursday night of UEFA Europa League football is on the horizon. Matchday 4 will transpire this week, with the pressure intensifying for the 36 clubs. Three clubs have a perfect record thus far, while another four are looking for their first point.
Ahead of the day’s football, The Deck previews all 18 games to occur.
UEFA Europa League: Matchday 4
Midtjylland Looks for More Scottish Success
Among the early games sees FC Basel host FCSB. Both clubs are on three points, meaning a result will be key. The pair met in the Champions League group stage 12 years ago, with both matches finishing 1-1. Basel will be hoping to make two home wins in the Europa League this fall, having beaten Stuttgart on matchday 2. Their last appearance in the knockout rounds came six years ago. For FCSB, they already faced Swiss opposition in this league phase, losing at home to Young Boys last month. They are looking to pass this stage for the third time running.
In Serbia, Crvena zvezda takes on LOSC Lille. The hosts come into this one in trouble, which are now winless in their last six European games (0-3-3). They do not have much success against sides from France, winning just once in their 17 games all-time (1-4-12). Lille was involved in a thriller last time out, narrowly losing to PAOK. Fortunately for Les Dogues, they are still in a good position after prevailing in their opening two rounds. Their only previous matchup versus a Serbian team saw them beat Sevojno 3-0 on aggregate back in 2009/10.
Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb takes set to take on Celta Vigo in what could be an interesting tie. Dinamo has scored the second most goals after three rounds with seven. That is also the number of points they obtained, and victory at home would almost surely send them through. They are 3-2-11 against Spanish teams overall. Celta is winless in their last three continental road games (0-1-2). However, they have scored in their last eight away matches, including all seven during their 2016/17 run.
Malmö meets Panathinaikos, with points being a necessity for both at this stage. After failing to progress from the UEL’s league phase last fall, Malmö is already in a difficult spot. They failed to beat any of their opponents in the opening three rounds, stretching their winless run to nine in the Europa League proper (0-3-6). Panathinaikos enjoyed victory on matchday 1, but has been defeated twice since. They have not played knockout football in this competition in 16 years.
FC Midtjylland looks to add more misery on Scottish teams as the Danes face Celtic. While they have a 2-2-2 record versus Scottish teams, the Herning-based side knocked off Hibernian in the second qualifying round in late-July. Their extra time win started what is now an eight-match winning streak in Europe. In contrast, Celtic finally got off the mark two weeks back, beating Sturm Graz. Overall, the Hoops have a 7-4-5 record against clubs from Denmark. They did lose to their opponents in the UCL second qualifying round four years ago.
One of the top matches in the early kickoffs is between OGC Nice and Freiburg. Les Aiglons will be desperate to put their 15-game run without victory in UEFA club competition play. This might not be the most ideal match it was to do so, as they have just one win in eight against German clubs (1-2-5). While they are without a victory in four away matches (0-2-2), Freiburg did earn a draw against Bologna back on matchday 2. They are on track to make the knockout stages for the third year running.
RB Salzburg has some work to do, as they meet Go Ahead Eagles. The Austrian club, who is in the Europa League group phase for the first time since 2018/19, has yet to claim a point after three rounds. It is the second year in a row they have started off a league phase campaign with three defeats. In contrast, The pride of the IJssel managed consecutive 2-1 wins in their maiden group phase showing. Their previous away success in Greece a month ago was their first-ever European victory.
Looking to bounce back from the matchday 3 reverse, Sturm Graz faces Nottingham Forest. Last year’s Austrian Bundesliga winner has come out on top in each of their last four home games in continental play. However, they have never defeated English sides across six attempts (0-1-5). That sole draw did come against Forest in the 1983/84 UEFA Cup quarterfinals. The Tricky Trees’ 2-0 win last time out was their first in Europe in 30 years. In their last eight away clashes, they have just one win (1-3-4).
Round off the early games has Utrecht facing Porto. It has been a rough return to UEL group phase football for Utrecht, who has not only lost all three games, but failed to score in that run. They are the only side of the 36 yet to find the back of the net. Including qualifiers, it is four without a goal for the Dutch side. Porto’s only loss this term across all competitions came a fortnight ago, falling 2-0 at Nottingham Forest. Winners in 2010/11, Dragões are the only team in this season’s Europa League to win the tournament under its current guise.
Betis Faces Lyon Test
In the late action, Aston Villa looks to return to winning ways as they host Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Villans will take comfort when looking at their recent home record in Europe. In what is their third season in a row participating in a UEFA club competition, they have just one loss through that period (12-1-1). For Maccabi, they have lost all four previous matches versus English opposition, scoring just once during that time. Having yet to claim a win in the UEL proper this term, the Israeli side can ill-afford another loss of points.
Another key game comes from Spain, where Real Betis meets Olympique Lyonnais. Los Verdiblancos return home after earning a win and a draw across two away games, keeping clean sheets in both ties. They are winless in their last five versus French sides (0-3-2), which includes a 1-0 reverse to Lyon back in 2013/14 in the group stage. Lyon is one of two clubs who has yet to concede in the Europa League proper thus far. They did keep a clean sheet in their last UEL clash with a Spanish team away, beating Villarreal 1-0 in the round of 32 eight years ago.
A pair of Europa League debutants go at it as Bologna welcomes Brann. While the Rossoblù have never featured in the UEL under its current guise before this season, they went unbeaten at home in the UEFA Cup era. After victory last time out, the Italian side will for consecutive continental wins for the first time since the 1998/99 campaign. Brann, meanwhile, enjoyed success in their opening two home ties, winning by a combined score of 4-0. However, they did lose their previous meetings with Italian opposition, falling to Sampdoria 3-0 over two legs in the 1989/90 Cup Winners Cup.
Sporting Braga faces Genk in what is an important clash from a UEFA coefficient perspective. Braga has not enjoyed much success versus clubs from Belgium, winning just once in nine outings (1-5-3). That sole success came in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 32 versus Standard Liège. Like Lyon, the Portuguese regulars have not conceded after three rounds. Genk has been involved in three close contests, prevailing in their other away match. They are 1-2-3 against clubs from Portugal.
Another interesting game sees a repeat from a UCL tie from the summer as Ferencváros takes on Ludogorets. Fradi is off to their best-ever start to a UEL season, with a pair of wins and a draw. They prevailed 3-0 on aggregate over their Bulgarian opponents in the third qualifying round of the UCL back in August. In contrast, Ludogorets has lost their last two after starting things off with a win. However, their four away goals scored are only bettered by Midtjylland (6) and Panathinaikos (5).
PAOK Thessaloniki will be aiming for consecutive victories as they host Young Boys. The Greek club was involved in a seven-goal thriller on matchday 3, edging Lille on their travels. They have also impressed against Swiss teams in the past, going 4-1-1. With that said, this will be their first matchup with Young Boys, who is in a good position after back-to-back successes. They have also kept consecutive clean sheets in European away matches, including their playoff round win at Slovan Brastislava.
Viktoria Plzeň battles Fenerbahçe in our pick for the tie of the round. This is a repeat of the 2012/13 round of 16 tie, which was won by Fener. In fact, Plzeň is without a win across four games all-time with sides from Türkiye. They have shown to be difficult to beat though, especially since they are sitting fifth in the league phase. Fenerbahçe has lost their last three in European away matches since beating Rangers in the last 16 last campaign. After home wins over Nice and Stuttgart, a third success would put them in an excellent spot to advance.
Two sides desperate to get back to winning ways, Rangers and AS Roma, do battle at Ibrox. Glasgow-based Rangers has conceded six goals after three games, the joint-most in the competition. Sitting bottom going into this clash, they cannot afford another reverse. Meanwhile, Roma, who is the highest ranked team in the UEL, suffered two straight losses, both at home. They have beaten a Scottish club before, beating Dundee United 3-2 on aggregate in the 1983/84 European Cup semifinals.
We conclude this preview with the matchup between Stuttgart and Feyenoord. It is the ninth time that the pair will meet in European play, with both sides coming out on top thrice each. The last occasion came in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, where the Germans prevailed 4-3 on aggregate in the last 32. The Bundesliga club has lost their last two though, and will need to turn things around quickly. As for Feyenoord, they got their first win last time out in a 3-1 comeback win against Panathinaikos. They are without a win in their last six continental away ties (0-2-4).