Europa league group stage predictions

The group of stage of the Europa league takes centre stage tomorrow with a host of games to decide the twenty four berths for the knock out stage in the new year. Some competitive groups featuring some big sides with firm aspirations of hoisting the trophy on May 16th in Lyon, France. AC Milan, Athletic Bilbao, Arsenal, Villarreal just some of the sides with designs on glory. Eleven sides are making their Europa league group stage debuts and it includes a first ever Macedonian side in Vardar. So here's how I think the groups will pan out.


Group A:
Villarreal have a host of injury concerns going into the group opener with Astana. Of the sides in the group they have the quality to top the group and I feel they will achieve that. Behind them is tricky to predict however. Slavia Praha, Astana and Maccabi Tel-Aviv are all of similar quality which will make for a tight group. I think Slavia will just about edge through behind Villarreal.

1. Villarreal
2. Slavia Praha
3. Maccabi Tel-Aviv
4. Astana

Group B:

No doubt the headline of this group is the FK Partizan and Skënderbeu clashes with Serbia and Albania going head-to-head for the first time since the drone clash in 2014. Ukrainians Dynamo Kyiv are my favourites to top this group and Swiss side BSC Young Boys will be aiming to join them. I think however FK Partizan will edge out the Swiss side and join Dynamo in the next phase. 

1. Dynamo Kyiv
2. FK Partizan
3. BSC Young Boys
4. Skënderbeu Korçë

Group C:

A tricky group to predict with a mix of regular European competitors and novices. Sporting Braga make a habit of doing well in Europe and I think their experience will get them through this group. However you can make a good case for the other three sides. İstanbul Başakşehir were the width of a post away from knocking Sevilla out of the champions league. Hoffenheim were not as impressive in the champions league qualifiers and they will be looking to string an improvement. Ludogorets in the past have progressed through the group stage and will be a threat. I'll go with Istanbul Basaksehir to continue their European campaign after christmas. 

1. Sporting Braga
2. İstanbul Başakşehir
3. Hoffenheim
4. Ludogorets Razgrad

Group D:

AC Milan will dominate this group, they have a much stronger team than any of the other sides. Many people's favorites to win the tournament outright I think Milan will comfortably sail through this. Joining them is the tricky part to this group. Rijeka, Austria Wien and AEK Athens it can be argued are of similar quality and for me I have a feeling AEK Athens can just about squeeze through but expect a tight group behind Milan. 

1. AC Milan
2. AEK Athens
3. Rijeka 
4. Austria Wien

Group E:

Not the most difficult group to predict to be honest. Lyon and Everton will get through. Atalanta are the dark horse however and while I'm not dismissing them completely I just don't think they'll have enough to nudge into the top two. Everton it depends if they take the competition seriously and Lyon have the motivation of the final being played in their own stadium. Cypriots Apollon Limassol will be up against it but hopefully they won't be cut adrift. 

1. Lyon
2. Everton
3. Atalanta
4. Apollon Limassol

Group F:

Lokomotiv Moskva I feel will top the group but it has the looks of a very close group with FC København also in the mix. Moldovan powerhouse Sheriff Tiraspol will have designs on progressing through a group for the first time. Czech cup winners Fastav Zlín are the rank outsiders but could catch the other three off guard. A tight group with København just about joining Lokomotiv in the next round. 

1. Lokomotiv Moskva
2. FC København
3. Sheriff Tiraspol
4. Fastav Zlín

Group G:

Viktoria Plzeň will meet Steaua București again after the Romanians knocked them out of the champions league qualifiers. Steaua then proceeded to get knocked out by Sporting CP in the following round but a rematch will no doubt give the Czechs a massive incentive. Also in the group are Swiss cup holders Lugano and Israeli champions Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Hapoel progressed from a tougher group last year and should do again this season. I fancy Viktoria Plzeň to join them. 

1. Hapoel Be'er Sheva
2. Viktoria Plzeň
3. Steaua București
4. Lugano

Group H:

A group that Arsenal ought to be comfortably topping, depending on how seriously they take the competition of course. Köln will be favorites to join them but I think Red Star Belgrade will edge out the Germans behind Arsenal. BATE Borisov will be dark horses but won't have enough to get through. 

1. Arsenal
2. Red Star Belgrade
3. Köln
4. BATE Borisov

Group I:

I'm expecting quite a competitive group here. Marseille should be able to get through and put recent domestic woes behind them. Salzburg usually get through groups and that experience will be invaluable. Konyaspor are still novices on the European scene having made their debut last season, however I can't see them making much inroads into progressing from the group. Vitória Guimarães another side that have potential to mix it up will be in the running to progress but I think Salzburg will edge through. 

1. Marseille
2. RB Salzburg
3. Vitória Guimarães
4. Konyaspor

Group J: 
Östersunds were the story of the Europa league qualifiers by knocking out both Galatasaray and PAOK en route to the group stage in their debut European campaign. They will need to dip into that formula of giant killing to get through this group. Athletic Bilbao will get through comfortably with Hertha BSC and Zorya Luhansk making up the group. Hertha are favorites to acompany Bilbao and it is hard to argue against that however maybe the Swedes have a couple of more shocks in store?.

1. Athletic Bilbao
2. Hertha BSC
3. Östersunds
4. Zorya Luhansk

Group K:

Lazio are perhaps favorites to top this group which they should justify. Joining them I think will be Nice who unlike last season won't be involved in a domestic title race. Vitesse and Zulte Waregem will be in the hunt but Nice have slightly more quality in their armory than the Benelux duo. 

1. Lazio
2. Nice
3. Vitesse
4. Zulte Waregem

Group L:

I think there may well be a surprise in this group. Zenit are no doubt favorites to top the group with Real Sociedad also looking to get through. Rosenborg however I think will pose a significant threat to aforementioned two. Macedonians Vardar who eliminated Fenerbahce in the play off round will be up against it but could sneak a surprise result or two. 

1. Zenit St Petersburg
2. Real Sociedad
3. Rosenborg 
4. Vardar