Trabzonspor PSV Eindhoven Odds : Dutch sided backed to progress in Europa League
Fresh from their maiden Champions League campaign, Trabzonspor face a tough task if they are to make it to the next stage of the competition when they go up against seasoned European campaigners PSV Eindhoven.
The Turkish outfit drop down into the Europa League after an unsuccessful Champions League campaign, but they will now have the chance to progress in European football’s second tier competition when they face their Dutch opponents on Thursday at the Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium.
The tie marks the very first time the two sides have met in European competition, and while Trabzonspor by no means embarrassed themselves in the Champions League after finishing third in Group B, they go into the two-leg encounter as underdogs because of their poor run of form on the continent.
Şenol Güneş’ side are without a victory in five European games – four draws and a defeat, although their last victory in European football proved to be a historic one as they recorded a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in their very first Champions League outing.
That run left them tantalisingly short of CSKA Moscow in second place and qualification for the knockout stages of that competition, but they will have to make do with a maiden outing against a Dutch side in the Europa League instead.
PSV meanwhile cruised serenely through the group stages of the competition with a record of one draw and five wins in their six group encounters, while manager Fred Rutten, who will step down from his position at the end of the season, has guided his side to nine European games unbeaten in total, stretching back to last year’s competition.
On the domestic front PSV remain on course to claim an historic double after reclaiming top spot in the Eredivisie with a 4-1 win over De Graafschap over the weekend while they remain in contention for the Dutch Cup having beaten NEC 3-2 in the semi-finals of the competition last month.
