Red Bull Salzburg vs Basel Prediction: Basel can put on a show

Basel are likely to have to take six points from their final two group stage Europa League matches if they are to get a crack at the play-offs and the challenge starts at Salzburg.

It’s an altogether more desperate situation for the Austrian side who have to win and hope plenty goes their way in order to reach the knockout rounds. The Red Bull Arena is set for an entertaining continental contest. Read on for my Red Bull Salzburg vs Basel predictions.

Team News

Takumu Kawamura and John Mellberg are long-term absentees for Salzburg, while Stefan Lainer is expected to be out until next month with a broken wrist.

Moritz Broschinski, Metinho, Keigo Tsunemoto and Philip Otele are all injury concerns for Basel and look set to miss the trip to Austria.

Red Bull Salzburg vs Basel Odds

It’s a finely-balanced tie with Salzburg the narrow 7/5 favourites on home turf, with Basel 7/4 and the draw is available at 13/8.

Over 2.5 goals is short at 4/7, while both teams to score is considered even more likely at 4/9.

Over 3.5 goals @ 11/8

This is a fixture that both teams need to win if they are to have a chance of knockout football in the Europa League this season, and with the draw no real use to Salzburg, a high-scoring contest is anticipated.

The Red Bulls have lost five of their six continental clashes this term and that run has included a high scoring 3-2 defeat to Ferencvaros and a 4-1 hammering against Bologna.

It’s been a swift fall for Thomas Letsch’s men, who were not so long ago a strong force in the Champions League, but are now being humbled in Europe’s secondary competition.

Basel are off the pace domestically and all efforts are now concentrated on the Europa League.

FCB have beaten FCSB and Stuttgart this term and winning at the Red Bull Arena doesn’t look beyond the Swiss.

All of Basel’s last three European matches have gone over 2.5 goals, Salzburg have seen 13 strikes in their previous four continental contests, and with points a must in this tie, punting over 3.5 looks a pretty solid wager.

Xherdan Shaqiri to score at any time @ 9/5

Xherdan Shaqiri is in the twilight of his career, but the former Liverpool forward can still deliver on the big stage.

The 34-year-old found the net in Basel’s Champions League playoff with Copenhagen, he notched in the 2-0 Europa League win over Stuttgart and Shaqiri hit a brace in the 3-1 success against FCSB.

The forward is averaging 3.37 shots per 90 minutes in the Europa League this season and is fancied to find the net in Austria.

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