We’re now in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals, with all four matches set for the same time on Thursday. Bayer Leverkusen finally overcame its desultory nickname of “Neverkusen,” breaking through for their first Bundesliga title, which will send them up to the UEFA Champions League next year. Don’t lock in any Europa League betting decisions on these matches until you’ve read our previews.
UEFA Europa League Quarterfinals Betting Analysis: Second Leg Previews
AS Roma vs AC Milan
Roma leads aggregate, 1-0
When: 3:00 pm ET
Europa League Odds: AS Roma +140 vs AC Milan -135 // Draw +240
All Roma has to do is secure a draw at home to advance to the semifinals, where they would meet the winner of West Ham United or Leverkusen. AC Milan won both of the Serie A contests with Roma, but those results don’t always carry over to other competitions. Gianluca Mancini scored the only goal in the first leg, heading a ball home in the 17th minute. This was Roma’s first win over AC Milan in the 2020s, ending a 10-match winless streak. Roma would also advance to the Champions League next year if they can stay in the top five of Serie A – or win the Europa League title this year. Roma did take a hit when Evan Ndicka collapsed in the 72nd minute of their match against Udinese. He left on a stretcher and will watch this match from the sideline.
Milan saw their seven-match winning streak and their 29-match streak of scoring goals across all competitions come to an end. They sent 25 shots toward Roma’s goal. In their last eight UEFA knockout ties in which they lost at home in the first leg, they have been sent home. On Sunday, they drew 3-3 against Sassuolo, a bottom-feeder in Serie A, as they played careless soccer and found themselves down 3-1 before Rafael Leao and Noah Okafor drew them level. They sit in second place in Serie A but trail Inter Milan by 14. They face their crosstown rivals in the Derby della Madonnina this weekend. Can they muster the offense and the defense to emerge victorious?
Marseille vs Benfica
Benfica leads aggregate, 2-1
When: 3:00 pm ET
Europa League Odds: Marseille +330 vs Benfica -120 // Draw +275
Benfica heads to Marseille having just lost once in their last nine matches, while Marseille has seen their Ligue 1 season simply fall apart, with five straight losses across all competitions. The return of Jean-Louis Gasset initially gave Marseille a boost as they scored 18 goals combined in a five-match winning streak, but in this losing streak, they have managed just three goals. Marseille did get a goal in Lisbon against Benfica as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found the back of the net, but they haven’t dropped a first leg of any knockout round in UEFA competition in six years.
Benfica is also fighting history as they have not gotten to the semifinals of any European competition in 10 years. Benfica maintained clean sheets at Toulouse (0-0) and Rangers (1-0), and the ability to shut opponents down on the road has benefited them. Given the length of Marseilles’ injury report, though, it’s hard to see the hosts doing enough to advance here.
West Ham United vs Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen leads aggregate, 2-0
When: 3:00 pm ET
Europa League Odds: West Ham United +250 vs Bayer Leverkusen -118 // Draw +250
Yes, Leverkusen did win at home, 2-0, but it took more than 80 minutes for their offense to get through West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski. Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface came on as substitutes and finally turned what would become a 33-shot barrage into winning offense. That was the most shots that West Ham had conceded since 2014 when Chelsea sent 39 balls toward their net.
West Ham is in a funk right now, with just one win in their last six matches across all competitions, including a 2-0 loss to Fulham this past weekend that would have been much uglier without Fabianski’s heroics in net. In 2024, they have played 10 home matches and won just twice, and they have been set home from two straight European ties after dropping the first leg by at least a pair of goals.
Atalanta vs Liverpool
Atalanta leads aggregate, 3-0
When: 3:00 pm ET
Europa League Odds: Atalanta +340 vs Liverpool -145 // Draw +333
After taking a massive beating at home, Liverpool has an immense task if they plan to get to the semifinals of the Europa League. In 132 tries, no team in the Europa League has ever won a first leg away by three or more goals and failed to advance. Atalanta looked sloppier over the weekend in their Serie A match against Hellas Verona, letting a 2-0 lead turn into a 2-2 draw, and Atalanta has only won three of their last 11 matches in all competitions.
Liverpool has a run of four away fixtures, but they have scored in every match away from Anfield this season. The last time they played at Atalanta, they won in a 5-0 laugher. So they could come back. But will they?