Preview and odds for Europa League clash
Olivier Giroud insists Arsenal will not just 'throw in the towel' against Barcelona and is confident of upsetting the odds in their Champions League last-16 tie. Arsenal scraped through the group stages after beating Olympiacos 3-0 in a must-win encounter having lost three of their opening four matches in the competition.
Champions League Live Streaming. So, I have left to go on loan there for a year, so I will give everything I can for this club. Arsenal betting odds, next game: Arsenal vs Tottenham odds. Champions League betting on the European football club championship. Get outright and match odds, plus tips, free bets, offers and money-back specials. Whether Arteta has the squad to achieve Champions League qualification or not is another issue. The Spaniard has tightened up the backline but it’s come at the expense of their once-famous free-flowing football. With some of Europe’s biggest bosses out of work, Arteta will surely still be looking over his shoulder.
Arsenal will hope to book their spot in the Europa League knockout stage when they take on Sporting CP tonight.
Unai Emery’s Gunners have won all three games in Group E so far. A win tonight would see them guarantee themselves top spot.
Arsenal are unbeaten since August, and will be confident of extending that run tonight against a Sporting side who have already gone through two managers this season.
Tiago Fernandes is currently caretaker manager, with former Ajax boss Marcel Keizer reportedly close to agreeing a deal.
It’s all live on BT Sport tonight, with an 8:00pm kick-off.
Head-to-head
This is the fourth meeting between the teams. They met twice in the Fairs Cup in 1969, before last month’s clash in Lisbon.
Arsenal have never conceded a goal to Sporting, and head into this game on a 14-game unbeaten run.
Sporting have lost three of their last six games, and have failed to win their last six European games on British soil.
Likely XIs
Emery is likely to start Danny Welbeck up front again. The Englishman netted the only goal in the reverse tie, and seems to be enjoying his infrequent chances to impress.
The Arsenal manager must then choose between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi or Emile Smith-Rowe to fill in the other spots in attack.
Nacho Monreal is back in training, but is unlikely to play tonight, with Sead Kolasinac continuing at left-back. Matteo Guendouzi, Aaron Ramsey and Mohamed Elneny will jostle for the midfield spots alongside Granit Xhaka.
Fernandes is unlikely to change things too much from the XI which beat Santa Clara 2-1 at the weekend.
That means starting roles up front for powerhouse forward Bas Dost and Marcos Acuna but they will be without Rodrigo Battaglia after the Argentine ruptured his cruciate on Sunday.
Key battles
Arsenal had 67% possession in Lisbon, and they’re likely to dominate the ball and the match again tonight.
Welbeck’s energy and movement is key. He can keep defenders busy and free up space for Aubameyang, Iwobi, Smith-Rowe and Ramsey.
Sporting can’t allow Xhaka time on the ball. The Switzerland midfield’s left-boot can pick out passes from anywhere on the pitch.
The visitors will have to bide their time, and hope Dost and Acuna can pounce on the counter.
Match odds
Arsenal are 2/7 favourites for a win which would confirm them as winners of Group E with two games to spare.
There’s 9/2 about a draw while Sporting are deemed unlikely victors at 11/1.
It’s 21/20 for Arsenal to win to nil, while they’re 4/5on the -1 handicap.
Alexandre Lacazette is 3/1 favourite to score first tonight, but the Frenchman has barely featured in the competition, so attention should turn to Aubameyang at 16/5 or Welbeck at 7/2.
Dost is 9/1 favourite in Sporting’s first goalscorer market, ahead of former Manchester United winger Nani at 12s.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
Arsenal will be looking to book their place in the last-16 of the Europa League when they take on Benfica at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki on Thursday.
The Gunners secured a 1-1 draw in last week’s “away” leg in Rome, leaving all to play for as they take residence in the Greek capital.
Arsenal vs Benfica Latest Odds
That draw brought an end to Arsenal's six-match winning streak in this season’s competition, although they are 3/4 (1.75) favourites to bounce back by securing a victory in Athens.
Editors' Picks
Jorge Jesus’ men have not lost any of their last eight Europa League matches but are 10/3 (4.33) outsiders to make it through to the next round by coming out on top.
Four of the guests’ last five European games have resulted in draws, and you can get odds of 3/1 (4.00) on them playing out yet another stalemate in this one.
Arsenal vs Benfica Team News
Rob Holding will not be involved after suffering a head injury in Sunday’s defeat against Manchester City, but Thomas Partey could be back in contention.
Jardel and Andre Almeida remain the only injury absentees for the away side, who include former Tottenham players Adel Taraabt and Jan Vertonghen among their ranks.
Arsenal vs Benfica Preview
Arsenal To Go Through Champions League Odds
Mikel Arteta highlighted his side’s lack of ruthlessness after they missed a number of chances to add to the single away goal provided by Buyako Saka in the 1-1 draw, a result that leaves this tie on a knife-edge.
This is not a new problem for the Spaniard, whose team has scored more than once in just one of their last six fixtures - scoring only twice in the other five.
Nevertheless, with an away goal in their favour, they should back themselves to keep at bay an Aguias side that has proved at least as profligate in front of goal of late.
Indeed, the Portuguese outfit have scored no more than once in eight of their last 11 matches in all competitions, albeit conceding only 11 times themselves in that run.
Arsenal To Go Through Champions League Odds 2019
Arsenal vs Benfica Tips and Predictions
All in all, odds of 10/11 (1.91) seem generous on a tense and tight affair providing no more than two goals for Arsenal’s fourth game in five and a seventh in eight for Benfica.
All odds correct at time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
Under 2.5 goals at 10/11 (1.91) for a 1.5pt stake with bet365