Thursday's Europa League predictions and free football tips: Pitmen lack the tools to hold off Feyenoord

Best bets

Feyenoord
BT Sport Extra, 8pm Thursday
1pt 13-10 general

Fenerbahce draw no bet
BT Sport 2, 8pm Thursday
1pt 12-5 Boyles

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Thursday's Europa League preview

Shakhtar Donetsk coach Igor Jovicevic insists they believe the "impossible is possible", although a wholesale defensive reshuffle doesn't half lend itself to a bet on Feyenoord in their Europa League first-leg tussle.

The Pitmen, playing their home games in Warsaw, are seriously stretched at the back after a late yellow-card flurry during their shootout win over Rennes.

Both full-backs, Yukim Konoplia and Bogdan Mykhailichenko, are suspended as is centre-back Valeri Bondar. Eduard Kozik would have covered but has injured his foot.

It's a major blow in preparing for a visit from Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord, who have won five in a row and are unbeaten since October.

European specialists Sevilla somehow keep pulling out results in spite of chronic league form, but they are worth taking on at home to crack Turkish side Fenerbahce.

The multiple recent winners survived many scares seeing off PSV Eindhoven in the previous round, although they come into this tie having suffered a sorry 6-1 drubbing at Atletico Madrid.

That's 11 goals conceded in three straight defeats and they've also been on the wrong end of a couple of home hidings in Europe, albeit at the hands of Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, both of whom are superior to Fener.

But Jorge Jesus' Super Lig title challengers are unbeaten away in Europe this season and in players of the calibre of Ecuador's Enner Valencia – 11 goals in his last seven matches – they pose a genuine and dangerous threat.

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