Thursday's Europa League predictions and free football tips: Leverkusen likely to continue dominance

Where to watch Thursday's Europa League games

Atalanta v Sporting TNT Sports 7, Thursday 5.45pm

Hacken v Bayer Leverkusen Discovery+, Thursday 8pm

Best bets

Atalanta to win
Thursday 5.45pm
2pts 11-10 general

Bayer Leverkusen to win both halves
Thursday 8.00pm
2pts 21-10 Betfair, Paddy Power

Florian Wirtz first goalscorer in Hacken v Leverkusen
Thursday 8.00pm
0.5pt EW 8-1 bet365

Thursday's Europa League predictions

Atalanta are leading the way in Europa League Group D, having won three and drawn one of their opening four matches in the competition, and should cement their place at the top of the section with a victory over Sporting Lisbon at the Gewiss Stadium. 

They took the reverse fixture 2-1 and have won five of their eight home matches this season to nil, including both of their group games in Bergamo, while their only losses on their own patch this season have come against Serie A leaders Inter and champions Napoli. 

Sporting arrive in good form, having lost only once in their last nine matches, but have not been as impressive on their travels this term. 

They drew with Polish minnows Rakow Czestochowa in a group-stage away match and may struggle against a far stronger Atalanta, who have already got the better of them in this European campaign and will be looking to confirm their status as section winners. 

Bayer Leverkusen are perhaps the most in-form side in Europe this season, unbeaten after 18 matches in all competitions and having won 17 of those games, including all four in the Europa League. 

They should ease past Group H basement boys Hacken, who have shipped 13 goals in their four games and are yet to pick up a point, and land a comfortable victory in Sweden. 

The reverse fixture saw Leverkusen win 4-0, with two goals in either half, and they should expect to dominate both periods again on Thursday. 

Hacken have lost both halves in three of their four group games, with a 1-0 defeat when hosting Qarabag the only exception to that record, and they may struggle to contain their free-scoring visitors. 

Xabi Alonso's side possess a plethora of attacking talent, but Florian Wirtz stands out as perhaps the jewel in the crown.

The young German has opened the scoring in four of Leverkusen's matches this season, including in the reverse fixture, and is worth backing to get the ball rolling in Gothenburg. 

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