Europa League
Thursday betting clash: Chelsea in European qualifiers and EFL Cup
The new season is well underway, and on Thursday in August the football calendar bursts with action, pitting European play‑off qualifiers against domestic cup drama. Chelsea host League One Luton Town in the EFL Cup while Barcelona, Brighton and Freiburg also take the stage.
European qualifiers light up Thursday
Freiburg travel to the Europa‑Park Stadion to complete their Conference League play‑off tie against Motherwell, with talkSPORT BET over 3.5 goals at 11/10. Motherwell, referred to as The Well, entered the second leg trailing 3‑1 after a home defeat and face a steep climb to overturn the deficit. The German side, who reached the Europa League final last season, will be confident after scoring three goals in Scotland and a 5‑1 German Cup win over Fortuna Düsseldorf on Sunday. Motherwell have also conceded in four of their last six matches, making a high‑scoring outcome a plausible bet.
Brighton head to home soil for their Conference League play‑off against Tromsø after a hard‑fought goalless draw in Norway. The Seagulls, fresh from a 4‑0 Premier League opener over Aston Villa, will look to use home advantage to secure progression. Midfielder Jack Hinshelwood, who netted a brace in the Villa win and scored in three straight matches last April and May, is listed as an anytime goalscorer in the bet builder. Brighton produced 11 corners in Norway while Tromsø managed five, so the bet builder’s over 10.5 corners at 6/1 appears realistic.
Monaco host Gornik Zabrze in a Conference League play‑off after a 3‑2 first‑leg win in Poland, and the preview suggests they should continue their winning run. Benfica hold a 3‑1 advantage over Aarhus in Europa League qualifying and are confident of sealing the tie on Danish soil. In Spain, Barcelona, fresh from a 5‑0 LaLiga opener against Elche, travel to face Athletic Bilbao in a La Liga fixture, while the Catalans previously beat Elche 5‑0. Celta Vigo, who began their campaign with a goalless draw at Valencia after finishing sixth last season, are favoured against Osasuna, a side that only avoided relegation in May with a superior head‑to‑head record. These fixtures illustrate the breadth of competition across Europe.
Chelsea’s cup clash and betting options
Chelsea return to the EFL Cup on Thursday night, hosting League One side Luton Town at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have not lifted the trophy since 2015 and last appeared in the final in 2024, so they will be eager to progress. Following a 3‑2 Premier League victory over Fulham on Monday, Chelsea are expected to breeze past the Hatters.
talkSPORT BET – Score up to £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE* highlights the best bet of the day, a value bet builder, and a 9/2 five‑fold Acca covering the matches mentioned. Taking one of the bookmaker offers, bettors can claim the free‑bet promotion while the juxtaposition of high‑stakes European qualifiers and a domestic cup tie underscores a packed Thursday that offers markets across Europe.