Betting Odds and Game Preview - FC Basel vs. Chelsea FC - UEFA Europa League
FC Basel are hosts to Chelsea FC in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland at 21:05 CET.FC Basel have earned their spot in the semi-finals by placing second in Group G behind Genk and ahead of Videoton and Sporting, and then eliminating Dnipro in round of 32, Zenit in round of 16 and finally Tottenham in the quarter-finals. FC Basel are unbeaten at home in six matches in the UEFA Europa League.
Chelsea FC have joined the UEFA Europa League by placing third in Group E of the UEFA Champions League behind Juventus and Shakhtar and ahead of FC Nordsjælland. Chelsea proceeded then to eliminate Sparta Praha, Steaua and finally Rubin in the Europa League.
FC Chelsea are the favourites to win in Basel and to qualify to the finals in Amsterdam.
Basel 21/10
Draw 12/5
Chelsea 29/20
This means that a $100 bet on Basel could earn a profit of $210, while the same bet on Chelsea could earn $145 in profit.
Demba Ba at 8/5 (bet $100 to profit $160) and Fernando Torres at 7/4 (bet $100 to profit $175) are the favourites to score for Chelsea, while Alexander Frei and Marco Streller, both at 7/4, are the favourites to score for FC Basel.
Chelsea are coming into form late in the season and in their last two English Premier League matches they tied Liverpool 2-2 and beat Fulham 0-3. Chelsea are currently in fourth place, with one point less and a game less played than third place Arsenal.
FC Basel are at the top of the Swiss Super League this season and are looking to extend their magical run in the Europa League. They eliminated Tottenham in the last round via penalty shootouts and are looking to surprise the football world next by inflicting damage to another top ranking English team.
This should be an interesting game. Can Chelsea get past Basel, head to the finals in Amsterdam and win the UEFA Europa League trophy a year after winning the UEFA Champions League? That would be something if they did.
