Olympiacos Piraeus vs Maccabi Tel Aviv prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-03-06 17:45.
Olympiacos got the job done in their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off tie, beating Ferencváros 2-0 on aggregate to progress to the last 16. Since the sacking of Carlos Carvalhal after a 2-0 loss at Panathinaikos early last month, the Greek giants have been in imperious form, winning seven successive matches and conceding just three times across that run.
They may need to carry that form into this clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv as they look to overcome a significant psychological hurdle, as Olympiacos have been eliminated at the Round of 16 stage no fewer than eight times since the turn of the century! New manager José Luis Mendilibar won’t be looking to the club’s record against Israeli opposition for inspiration either, as they have won only once (D3, L4) in eight such matches.
That solitary victory was against Maccabi Tel Aviv back in the 2010/2011 Europa League third qualifying round, but that result won’t have a bearing on the mindset of Robbie Keane’s men, who topped Group B to reach the club’s first-ever last-16 European tie. Like Olympiacos, the Yellows are on a strong run, having won four and drawn one of their last five since early February’s defeat at rivals Maccabi Haifa.
Ahead of their visit to the Karaiskakis Stadium, Maccabi Tel Aviv can look to a very positive record against Greek teams, having lost just four of 12 such fixtures (W8). And with a history-making quadruple still a possibility, Keane will be confident that his players can make a fast start in the first leg, having scored in the first-half of all five group encounters this season in which they found the net.
Players to watch: Following a seven-game goal drought for club and country, Ayoub El Kaabi has scored an incredible ten in seven appearances since for Olympiacos, including the winner in both legs against Ferencváros. Milson has netted in each of Maccabi’s last three matches, with each of his last seven goalscoring outings seeing his side avoid defeat (W6, D1).
Hot stat: In only one of Olympiacos’ last 11 games have both teams on the day scored before half-time.