5 Europa League RO16 Tips - 10/3/22

Barcelona will be looking to capitalize on their good form of late and go a step further to well and truly get Xavi’s new era underway by claiming European silverware. Galatasaray make the trip to the Nou Camp on Thursday night in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.

The Catalan giants are in top form, with four wins in a row in all competitions and unbeaten in their last eight. Barca got past Napoli in the last round, seeing off the Italian outfit with the 4-2 win in Naples.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got off the mark for his new club in Europe by adding the fourth for Xavi’s side in that game. The former Arsenal man has 23 goals in 45 Europa League appearances across his career, with only Radamel Falcao, Aritz Aduriz, and Munas Dabbur scoring more than him in the competition.

After a fantastic start to life in Catalonia, Aubemayang will fancy his chances of adding to that tally against a Galatasaray that are struggling; 12th in Turkey’s Super Lig, winning just two of their last 12 games in all competitions.

After seeing off Borussia Dortmund in the last round, Rangers continue their European adventure when they host Red Star Belgrade.

The Scottish champions can make it ten games without defeat in all competitions, after back-to-back 1-0 wins the Scottish Premier League as they continue to fight with Celtic at the top.

James Tavernier scored three goals across the two legs, taking his tally to ten for the season – despite being a right-back. The Rangers captain can make it eleven with a goal against a side that are currently second in the Serbian SuperLiga.

Two of the most attacking teams in the competition lock horns for their first leg in Italy on Thursday, as Bayer Leverkusen, make the journey to Italy to face Atalanta.

Atalanta will want to bounce back following a defeat in their clash against Roma on Saturday in a game between two teams looking to claim a place in Europe.

Before that, La Dea smashed Sampdoria 4-0 after easing past Olympiakos in the last round of the Europa League with a 3-0 win in Greece.

The visitors come into the game after clinching a point away to Bayern Munich last weekend in a 1-1 draw. It shows just how lethal Leverkusen can be when you see that Gerardo Seoane’s men have scored a whopping 15 goals in their last five games. Another high-scoring affair could be on the cards again when they square off with Atalanta.

West Ham continues their Europa League journey with a trip to Seville on Thursday to take on the six-time champions of this competition.

The Spanish outfit have won more Europa League titles than any other side so will be out to make it seven titles this season. Julen Lopetegui’s men are second in La Liga, seven points clear of third-placed Barcelona.

Sevilla will be confident of getting a result in the home leg, especially considering West Ham’s current form. The Hammers have lost their last two games in all competitions, as well as picking up just two wins in their last six games. With plenty of attacking talent at their disposal, the Spaniards may just clinch this first leg on their own turf.

Fourth in Portugal takes on eighth in France when Braga hosts Monaco on Thursday.

Braga have won three of their last five in all competitions, including seeing off Sheriff in the last round of the Europa League. The Moldovan outfit picked up a 2-0 win in the first leg, before Braga turned it around and won 2-0 themselves in the home leg before reaching the next round on penalties.

Only Karl Toko-Ekambi of Lyon, Galeno of FC Porto and Patson Daka of Leicester have scored more Europa League goals than Ricardo Horta so far this season. The Braga attacker can take his tally to five goals in nine games against a Monaco side that have managed just one win in their last five games in all competitions.