Thursday Europa League qualifiers: predictions, free tips and best bets

Thursday

Jaap Stam's first competitive match in charge of Feyenoord was a hugely underwhelming 2-2 draw at home to promoted Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday and his second game may not be any easier.

Feyenoord swap Eredivisie business for a Europa League tie at home to Dinamo Tbilisi, who can more than hold their own at The Tub.

Stam has inherited a tricky situation in Rotterdam with injuries denying him options up front and players leaving, the latest being right-back Jeremiah St Juste, who is off to Mainz.

They can certainly ill afford to take Tbilisi lightly. The Georgians, flying at the top of their league, have won four ties to nil in progressing to the third qualifying round, thrashing tricky Azeri outfit Qabala 5-0 in their previous outing.

They have won 12 matches in a row in league and European competition and should be optimistic they can keep the tie in the balance heading back to Tbilisi.

Former Aston Villa hero Savo Milosevic has enjoyed a fruitful few months in charge of Partizan Belgrade, overseeing huge improvement in their league fortunes and guiding them to a cup final triumph over Red Star.

They have started the new Serbian Super Liga season with two wins out of two to go with a routine win over Connah's Quay Nomads in the Europa League.

Next up is Yeni Malatyaspor, who finished fifth in the Turkish Super Lig last season despite losing as many games as they won. They were miles behind the top four and grateful that Fenerbahce had a shocker of a campaign.

The Turks struggled to see off Olimpija Ljubljana in the previous round – the Slovenes played the second leg a man light for an hour and were pipped only 1-0 – and they should find Partizan a far sterner test.

Recommendations
Dinamo Tbilisi +1.25 on Asian handicap
1pt 13-10 bet365
Partizan Belgrade
1pt 19-20 Betway

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