Thursday's Europa League predictions and free football tips

Where to watch 

Eintracht Frankfurt v Slavia Prague
TNT Sports 6, 5.45pm Thursday

Bodo/Glimt v FK Qarabag
TNT Sports 10, 5.45pm Thursday

Hoffenheim v Lyon
TNT Sports 6, 8pm Thursday

Best bets

Lyon to beat Hoffenheim
2pts 6-4 bet365, Betfred 

Eintracht Frankfurt to beat Slavia Prague
2pts 4-5 general

Bodo/Glimt to win to nil
2pts 9-4 bet365

Thursday's Europa League football predictions

Hoffenheim's season hit a new low on Saturday when they dropped into the bottom three courtesy of a shock loss to St Pauli and Lyon may well rub salt into their wounds in the Europa League.

On the face of it, this looks a finely-balanced match given Hoffenheim are on four points after three rounds with Lyon on six.

But home advantage doesn't look much of an advantage based on the way St Pauli overcame Hoffenheim at the weekend and the troubles continue to pile up for their coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.

The American isn't steering the happiest of ships having fallen out with frontmen Adam Hlozek and Mergim Berisha among others.

It's all a far cry from last year when Hoffenheim finished seventh and it opens the door for European old hands Lyon to march through.

The Frenchmen are unbeaten in their last five away games, a run that includes a 4-1 win at Rangers in this competition and culminated in a 1-1 draw at Lille last Friday.

While Hoffenheim are struggling in the German top flight, there is no stopping Eintracht Frankfurt, who warmed up for the visit of Slavia Prague in the Europa League by battering Bochum 7-2 on Saturday.

They are unbeaten at home this season with 21 goals scored in those seven matches at Deutsche Bank Park, and the 2021-22 Europa League winners have seven points in this competition, three more than Slavia.

The Czechs are going well domestically, topping the league, but they know they are going to face an onslaught in Frankfurt and could easily crumble.

Surely the most thankless fixture of the week befalls Qarabag, who are trading the Caspian Sea for the Arctic Circle and a 5,500-mile round trip to face Bodo/Glimt.

The Azeris are also missing key men Elvin Carfaguliyev and Julio Romao, who were both sent off in the 3-0 loss to Ajax, and face a team who are excellent on home territory.

Qarabag are 36th and bottom of the new-look league and their Norwegian hosts, who have already beaten Porto at home, can win this to nil.

Click for more free bets and betting offers from the Racing Post

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing and sports betting.