Fulham v Wolfsburg: Betting Preview & Tips

Fulham v Wolfsburg

Betfair’s Tobias Gourlay previews a Europa League quarter final between two teams who have never reached this level of European competition before.

Fulham move further into unchartered territory on Thursday evening as they contest a first-ever European quarter final, but their opponents, the reigning German champions, are similarly inexperienced and come up against a fine W10-D4-L0 European home record (W6-D1-L0 this season), which includes, of course, a splendid 4-1 win over Juventus a fortnight ago. The Londoners, moreover, are comfortably mid-table in the Premier League and coach Roy Hodgson has said he is now prioritising the Europa League.

After a run of injuries, Fulham are getting close to full strength again. Andy Johnson and John Paintsil are still out with long-term knee problems, but Hodgson has been protecting Bobby Zamora, who has a stomach bug, from the unseasonably weather and is hopeful he will be available for this match to take a place alongside the Cottagers’ leading scorer in the competition, Zoltan Gera.

2.34 is a good price for another Fulham home win, but Wolfsburg, who are currently only ninth in the Bundesliga with its second-worst defence, scored in all three of their group-stage away matches in the Champions League and in 2/2 on the road in the Europa League so far. In all competitions, only two of Wolfsburg’s 21 previous hosts have kept them out completely. By kick-off, Both Teams to Score, which has happened in 8/10 of Fulham’s games in the Europa League proper this season and 4/4 in the knockout stages, should be available at 1.9 or so. Over 2.5 Goals is a 2.06 shot.

Put the two suggestions – Fulham to win, Wolfsburg to score – together and you get an idea about a Correct Score: 2-1 is available at 9.8; 3-1 is [22]. One small note of caution about all of this though: after several months away, Wolfsburg’s first-choice goalkeeper, Diego Benaglio, returned to action at the weekend and they kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win at Mainz.

Die Wolfe’s top-scorer in Europe is Grafite, who has six Champions League and Europa League goals this season. His Bosnian strike partner, Edin Dzeko, who has five, scored at Old Trafford earlier this season and has found the back of the net in all three European games he’s played against English opposition, but the most recent German press reports reveal he hasn’t trained since Monday and faces a late fitness test. If he plays, six goals in his last four Bundesliga games suggest he might be the best bet to score in this match.

• Recommended Bets: Back Fulham at 2.32 to win; back Both Teams to Score at 1.9

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