Following a banger of a Champions League slate, we’ve got the final day of the Europa League’s qualifying stage on Thursday.
Aston Villa has been one of the top teams in the qualifying stages, and are looking to claim the top spot in the league. Salzburg is squarely on the bubble for advancing to the next stage and will be scrapping to stay alive.
Aston Villa is a -220 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Salzburg sits as a +550 underdog. A draw is priced at +400. Let’s get into a prediction and pick for Thursday’s UEFA Champions League matchup.
Aston Villa vs. Salzburg prediction, pick
Villa are reveling in the moment this season. They’re within striking distance of the top spot in the English Premier League and are strolling through the group stage of the Europa League — winning six of their first seven matches. They’re currently tied with Lyon for the top of the league, though they trail in goal differential. No matter what happens on Thursday, their spot in the Round of 16 is secure, making their level of motivation for this game an interesting question.
Aston Villa have five matches to play between now and February 14th: Salzburg, three EPL ties, and an FA Cup match. It’s a short turnaround for all but one of those games, including a weekend match with Brentford on Sunday. Manager Unai Emery will have to weigh the fitness of his club against the importance of the top spot in the Europa League qualifiers.
RB Salzburg has no such luxury. They are handling business well in the Austrian Bundesliga, but are firmly on the bubble in the Europa League qualifiers. A win against Basel kept them within striking distance, and they’re going to need all three points in this one to have a chance at staying alive.
They’ll have to lean on a young attack to break this Villa back line. Edmund Baidoo, Kerim Alajbegovic, Moussa Yeo, and Petar Ratkov are all 22 or younger and have produced solid results at the top. Those four need to generate some moments of magic to break through against such a quality Villa side.
It’s fair to wonder if Villa will deploy a full side against Salzburg. I do think they sit out some regulars, but that still leaves them as the superior club. That back line can hold up, and Villa will find a way to grind out a win with some reserves on the pitch.
