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Europa League's group stage, looking for the best bets.

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Augsburg v Partizan Belgrade
Thursday October 1, 18:00
Live on BT Sport Extra
Augsburg are gearing up for their first ever home game in continental competition, but the excitement is tinged with anxiety about the Bavarian club's awful start to the season. Not only did FCA blow a lead in a 3-1 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in their group stage opener a fortnight ago, but they have taken just four points from their first seven games in the Bundesliga.
After Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim, Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl bemoaned his team's defensive errors, imploring players like South Korean international Jeong-Ho Hong to show greater concentration. Augsburg have leaked 16 goals in nine games in all competitions, and in attack the usually reliable Halil Altintop and Tobias Werner simply aren't putting their chances away.
Although Partizan Belgrade don't have a good away record in the Europa League of late, they do have more experience at this level than Augsburg do, and they beat AZ 3-2 in their first group match. Given how bad Augsburg's results have been this term, I just can't support the hosts at 1.55.
Recommended Bet
Lay Augsburg at 1.55

Villarreal v Plzen
Thursday October 1, 20:05
Live on BT Sport Extra
The Yellow Submarine of Villarreal has risen from the depths this season, and currently sits proudly atop the La Liga standings. The weekend's 1-0 victory against Atletico Madrid saw the hosts leapfrog mighty Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Marcelino's men have dropped just two points this season.
Villarreal have won all three league games at El Madrigal, and attacking players Roberto Soldado (yes, Spurs fans, I'm not joking), Leo Baptistao and Cedric Bakambu have all started the season strongly. The only defeat Villarreal have suffered was their Europa League opener, a 2-1 defeat at Rapid Vienna.
That defeat means the Spanish side have to put all of their energies into getting back on track, and it's worth remembering they have won four of their last six home games in this competition. Plzen are no pushovers, having built up a winning run recently and having managed Europa League wins at Napoli and Shakhtar Donetsk in the past couple of years. That said, Villarreal are on great form, especially on home soil, and the momentum gained from that win over Atletico could prove crucial.
Recommended Bet
Back Villarreal -0 & -0.5 on the Asian Handicap at 1.84

AZ Alkmaar v Athletic Bilbao
Thursday October 1, 18:00
Live on BT Sport Europe
We successfully backed Athletic against Augsburg a couple of weeks ago in this column, but the Basque side aren't quite the same outfit on their travels. At San Mames, Athletic have won five of their seven games, but they are still looking for their first away win.
Athletic have found it tough to score goals on the road, drawing blanks in three of their six away games, and in this season's Europa League qualifiers they drew in Azerbaijan against Baku-based Inter, and lost 3-2 at Zilina. If we stretch back a bit, we see that Athletic have chronic travel-sickness, as they have won just one of their last ten away games in the Europa League.
AZ lost 3-2 at Partizan two weeks ago, but their home form is encouraging. They beat Istanbul Basaksehir and Astra in the qualifiers, and overall they have won three of their last four outings at the AFAS Stadion.
Given the relative form of the two sides, Athletic look too short for the win at evens, and at that price I'm happy to oppose them.
Recommended Bet
Lay Athletic Bilbao at 2.00

Lazio v St Etienne
Thursday October 1, 18:00
Live on BT Sport Extra
It's been a topsy-turvy start to the campaign for Lazio. At home they have won all four of their matches in all competitions, and they have won 16 of their last 23 games at the Stadio Olimpico. The Romans were a whisker away from a superb result in their group-stage opener, as a last-gasp Dnipro equaliser forced a 1-1 draw in Ukraine.
St Etienne will try their luck in the Eternal City, and they are licking their wounds after a 4-1 battering at home by Nice. Although Les Verts are a seemingly impressive second in Ligue 1, it's worth noting that all of the teams they have beaten are currently in the bottom half of that table, and they haven't faced the likes of PSG, Marseille, Monaco or Lyon.
ASSE haven't exactly sparkled in the Europa League so far. They scraped past Moldovan side Milsami in the qualifiers, and two weeks ago they needed an 87th-minute equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw with Rosenborg.
I think Lazio will win this, and I'm delighted to see them trading at 1.82 to do so.

Recommended Bet
Back Lazio to win at 1.82

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