AEK Athens v Brighton Europa League predictions, betting odds and tips: Seagulls can get their revenge in Greek capital

Where to watch AEK Athens v Brighton

TNT Sports 2, 5.45pm Thursday

Best bet

Brighton to win & both teams to score
1pt 27-10 Betfair

AEK Athens v Brighton odds

AEK Athens 13-5
Brighton 10-11
Draw 3-1

Odds correct at time of publishing

AEK Athens v Brighton team news

AEK Athens
Harold Moukoudi, Jens Jonsson, Levi Garcia and Paulo Fernandes Cantin are all missing through injury but first-choice goalkeeper Cican Stankovic is back from suspension.

Brighton
Jan Paul van Hecke is suspended and Adam Webster is injured, so Brighton will be hoping that Igor Julio is fit enough to partner Lewis Dunk at centre-back. Solly March, Julio Enciso, Danny Welbeck and Pervis Estupinan remain sidelined while James Milner, Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey are doubts. Kaoru Mitoma must be assessed but Mahmoud Dahoud is available as his three-game suspension is only for domestic matches.

AEK Athens v Brighton predictions

Brighton suffered a shock 3-2 defeat at home to AEK Athens on matchday one but the Seagulls have now settled into their stride in the Europa League and can exact their revenge in the Greek capital.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have responded well to that setback on their European bow with a 2-2 draw away at Marseille before recording a pair of 2-0 wins over Dutch giants Ajax.

Since sharing the spoils in that four-goal thriller in France, Brighton’s only defeat in nine has come in a 2-1 loss away at Manchester City and, although injuries are piling up, they should still have too much for the Greek hosts.

While the Seagulls have improved as their European adventure has developed, AEK Athens have failed to build on that high-profile victory at the Amex.

Matias Almeyda’s side have since been held to a 1-1 draw at home to Ajax and have suffered two-goal defeats home and away against Marseille.

That said, the Greek Super League side had an expected-goals figure of 2.38 against Ajax and their 2-0 loss to Marseille in Athens saw them post an xG of 1.79, while they forced 22 corners in those two games.

Those performances, alongside the reverse fixture, show that Brighton can’t take the challenge of AEK Athens lightly and De Zerbi should field his strongest side as they need to win their final two games to top Group B.

But rather than wade in at odds-on, backing Brighton to win with AEK Athens getting on the scoresheet may be the approach to take as both teams have scored in 15 of the Seagulls' 18 games this season.

Key stat

Brighton have scored twice in all four of their Europa League group games this season.

Probable teams

AEK Athens (4-1-4-1): Stankovic; Sidibe, Vida, Callens, Hajsafi; Szymanski; Amrabat, Mantalos, Pineda, Gacinovic; Zuber.
Subs: Mitoglou, Mohammadi, Rota, Eliasson, Ponce, Pizarro, Galanopoulos.

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Steele; Veltman, Igor, Dunk, Gross; Dahoud, Baleba; Adingra, Pedro, Buonanotte; Ferguson.
Subs: Lallana, Gilmour, Moder, Duffus, Hinshelwood, Jackson, Baker-Boaitey.

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