UEFA Europa League: Manchester United vs. AS Roma Betting Preview

• Manchester United faces AS Roma in the semifinals of the Europa League Tuesday, where they are a big favorite in the first leg of the matchup.
• Bettors can get Man U as a -190 betting odds favorite on three-way moneylines, compared to +525 for Roma to score the outright win in leg 1.

MANCHESTER, England – While the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League have begun, the UEFA Europa League also looks to begin their semi-final competition this week.

Thursday sees the first of two matches between English powerhouse Manchester United and Italian stalwarts AS Roma.

Betting odds for the match are now available across all major online sportsbooks, with Man United coming in as the heavy favorite.

Manchester United have once again decimated their way through Europa League competition on the way to the semi-final.

After reaching this stage of the tournament last year, Man U blasted their way through the likes of AC Milan, Real Sociedad, and Granada on their way to this year’s Europa League semi final.

This will mark five straight semi-finals in tournament competition for the Red Devils, with the club failing to make the finals in each outing.

While that could be a reason to back Roma in this leg, Man U simply has so much talent that they deserve the lofty price attached to their name.

Man U have also won 11 of their last 12 matches in European competition against Italian teams.

Those looking to back Roma will have to note that the club has not earned a win on English soil in Euro competition since 2001. That span of over 20 years has seen the team lose eight matches, drawing four.

Likewise, Roma has looked weary in their last four matches where they have not earned a victory. Two losses and two draws across domestic competition does not bode well for their form heading to Old Trafford.

Those looking to bet on the Europa League can find tons of props for the game via online sportsbooks.

With Man U looking to dominate, one can find odds for United to win both halves of the contest.

Players To Watch

When it comes to keeping tabs on a certain player in this match, the discussion starts and nearly ends with Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United.

Fernandes has scored the most Europa League goals than any other player since his debut in the competition in 2018 with 17 goals and nine assists.

Additionally, five of his last seven contributions led to opening goals for Man U.

🇵🇹 It's been a year since Manchester United signed Bruno Fernandes.

🥅 PL games: 34
⚽️ PL goals: 19
🅰️ PL assists: 14
🏆 POTM awards: 4@TheUnitedLink | @B_Fernandes8 pic.twitter.com/4Ri2sjpyQo

— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) January 29, 2021

For Roma, the man to watch is former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko.

Dzeko certainly has familiarity with Old Trafford, as he has scored five goals in last four games against Man U, included back to back braces.