Plzen vs Anderlecht prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-01-22 17:45.
[p]Viktoria PlzeĆ will hope to quickly shake off any rustiness as they attempt to book their place in the next stage of UEFA Europa League (UEL). A lengthy winter break means that the Czech side have not played a competitive fixture in more than five weeks, but they return to action here knowing that a win in the penultimate league phase game of the campaign against Anderlecht will put them on the cusp of securing European knockout football for just the second time in six seasons.[/p]
[p]Miroslav Koubekâs men have suffered only one league phase loss so far this term (W2, D3), and that was to Manchester United. Automatic qualification for the last 16 is therefore very much on the cards, as they sit only two points off the top eight, while they bounced back from that defeat to the Red Devils in fine fashion by hammering ÄeskĂ© BudÄjovice 7-2 before Christmas, a result that means PlzeĆâs have lost just two of their last 18 outings (W11, D5).[/p]
[p]Anderlechtâs 100% winning record from seven previous meetings with Czech teams marks this out as a huge banana skin for PlzeĆ though. Their supporters will be hoping that such a run serves as a good omen for their side, whose form has been patchy either side of Christmas, with three losses from their last six encounters in all competitions (W3).[/p]
[p]David Hubertâs men did beat Kortrijk 2-0 at the weekend though, and their UEL record this season is outstanding. Four victories and two draws from six outings not only makes them one of just five undefeated sides in the league phase this campaign ahead of matchday seven, but also means that they have secured a play-off spot at the very least, while one more win for them will likely be enough to guarantee automatic progression to the last 16 for just the third time in the competition since 2010.[/p]
[p]Key battle: PlzeĆâs Prince Kwabena Adu has netted eight of his last nine goals before half-time, with six of them serving as the first of the game. He looks good value to get on the scoresheet against Anderlecht goalkeeper Colin Coosemans, who hasnât kept a clean sheet in six previous away appearances in the UEL proper, with five of those matches finishing 2-1 (W3, D1, L2)![/p]
[p]Hot stat: PlzeĆ havenât conceded first in their last seven UEL home games.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]