Football accumulator tips for Thursday, May 7: Back our acca at 9-1

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Last week's 1-0 win at the City Ground means in-form Nottingham Forest hold all the aces in their Europa League semi-final with Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Jamie Griffith fancies the Tricky Trees to frank that result in Thursday's second leg.

Conference League favourites Crystal Palace are another English team on course for a European final and they also feature in Jamie's Thursday acca, which pays out at 9-1 with Hills. 

All bets must be placed by 8pm on Thursday. 

Accumulator tips and predictions for Thursday May 7

Racing Post football expert Jamie Griffith has picked:

Nottingham Forest or draw double chance vs Aston Villa
Freiburg to beat Braga
Crystal Palace to beat Shakhtar
Rayo Vallecano or draw double chance vs Strasbourg

Total odds: @ 9-1 with Hills

Odds correct at time of publication

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest 

Eyebrows were raised when Vitor Pereira was named as Nottingham Forest manager but the Portuguese has quickly silenced his critics by piecing together a ten-match unbeaten streak. 

The Tricky Trees have won their last five fixtures and can preserve their 1-0 advantage over Aston Villa, who have lost their last three games.

Freiburg vs Braga

Despite trailing Braga 2-1 after last week's first leg, Freiburg are still favourites to progress to the Europa League final and a run of eight wins and just two losses in their last 12 home matches makes it easy to see why. 

The Breisgau Brazilians have won all six of their home Europa League fixtures – by an aggregate 14-2 scoreline – and they could turn this semi-final on its head. 

Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar

A rotated Crystal Palace starting 11 were routed 3-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday but their first team should prove far too strong for Shakhtar, just as they did when winning last week's first leg 3-1 in Poland.

The Eagles have the firepower to hurt their Ukrainian visitors in the shape of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, while six clean sheets in seven home games proves they are formidable at the other end as well. 

Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano 

Gary O’Neil started well as Strasbourg manager, tasting defeat in just three of his first 18 games in charge. The wheels have come off since, however, with the French side losing four of their last five matches. 

They trail Rayo Vallecano 1-0 and while they are favourites to overturn that deficit, their plucky visitors will not go down lightly and a four-game unbeaten run suggests they can seal the deal in Alsace. 

Now read our previews of Thursday's European semi-finals:

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest | Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar | Freiburg vs Braga | Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano 

Football acca FAQs

What is a football accumulator (acca)?
A football accumulator, commonly referred to as an 'acca', is a single bet that combines multiple individual bets into one. Each selection within the accumulator must win for the bet to pay out, offering higher potential returns but at increased risk compared to single bets.

Can I place an acca on different markets?
Yes, you can combine various markets in an acca, including match winners, total goals, both teams to score, and more. However, most betting platforms require that selections within an accumulator are not related to ensure the bet is valid.

What is the advantage of placing an accumulator bet?
The main advantage of an accumulator bet is the potential for higher returns from a smaller stake since the odds of each selection are multiplied together. It adds excitement to watching multiple matches, as each leg of your acca needs to be successful for a return.

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