Europa League: Barcelona and Napoli could produce goalfest at the Camp Nou

European football returns after the winter break with an all-new format in the Europa League.  

Eight group winners have already qualified for the last 16 of the competition and are waiting patiently to discover who the eight teams to join them will be.

This knockout round pits teams that finished second in their Europa League groups against those who were third in their respective Champions League pools. The field is high quality, with the likes of Sevilla, Atalanta, Barcelona and Dortmund among the competitors.

Indeed, at 6.6, Dortmund are the favourites for the competition ahead of Spanish pair Sevilla and Barca.

Dortmund too good for Rangers

Dortmund should have few problems in dispatching Scottish champions Rangers on Thursday. The visitors enjoyed strong European pedigree under Steven Gerrard but have not looked the same force since Giovanni van Bronckhorst took over.

BVB might be rather unpredictable, but their scoring power should secure a comfortable advantage to take to Glasgow next week.

Rangers, after all, lost to Sparta Prague away before drawing with Brondby and Lyon in the group stages.

Tip: Asian Handicap: Dortmund -1.5 @ 2.00

Back goals between Barca and Napoli

Perhaps the most eye-catching match on paper in this round is Barcelona’s match up with Napoli in a fixture that pits two of Diego Maradona’s former clubs against each other. That bond will temporarily be broken as the pair vie to reach the last 16 of the competition.

Both clubs are likely to rotate their squads for this match, which promises entertainment if nothing else.

Seven of Barcelona’s last 10 fixtures have yielded at least three goals. Napoli’s European team, meanwhile, has been involved in six games that have produced a total of 25 goals, each of them with at least three strikes.

Tip: Over 2.5 @ 1.72

Leipzig to keep buzzing

RB Leipzig host Real Sociedad in a clash between clubs that have been on differing trajectories in recent weeks.

The German outfit has started to fly since the sacking of Jesse Marsch, with Domenico Tedesco racking up win after win. They were even close to beating Bayern away less than a fortnight ago.

Sociedad, meanwhile, have won only five of 14 away games between Europe and La Liga this season, the last of which was in early November.

Though a strong defensive side, RB Leipzig are buzzing offensively, scoring 13 in their last five league games, and should have enough to win this match, even if they choose to rotate.

Tip: RB Leipzig @ 1.92

Recommended Bets

Asian Handicap: Dortmund -1.5 @ 2.00

Barca v Napoli over 2.5 @ 1.72

RB Leipzig @ 1.92