The 2017/18 UEFA Europa League enters matchday two on Thursday night and there are several big games across Europe. One of the biggest comes in Group L as Zenit St Petersburg welcome Real Sociedad to the Stadion Krestovskyi in Russia. Zenit St Petersburg have great experience of playing in European football having contested both the Europa League and Champions League in recent years, winning the UEFA Cup as it was known in 2007/08. Real Sociedad last participated in the Europa League in 2014/15 and failed to qualify for the group stages, losing in a playoff to Krasnodar. The Spanish club will be hoping for greater success in Russia this time.
Zenit St Petersburg
Zenit St Petersburg start this game at the top of Europa League Group L having won their opening match 5-0 in Vardar. It was a very convincing result and while they were expected to win the game, no one predicted a win of that magnitude. Zenit St Petersburg have lost 3 of their last 20 games. One of them was in the Russian Cup and the other two were in the Europa League qualifying stages this season but Zenit St Petersburg still got the job done to qualify.
They are undefeated in their last 5 home games, with 4 wins and 1 draw and have conceded just a single goal during those 5 matches. Zenit St Petersburg currently sit top of the Russian Premier League, 4 points clear of Lokomotiv Moscow.
Real Sociedad Form
Real Sociedad started their Europa League group campaign with a good 4-0 home victory over Rosenborg. However, since that win Real Sociedad have lost all 3 of their La Liga matches, which as seen them drop to 8th place in the table having started the season promisingly. There have been defeats at Levante and at home to Real Madrid and Valencia. Real Sociedad have played only 3 away matches this season and other than the defeat at Levante have picked up wins at Deportivo La Coruna and Celta Vigo. Real Sociedad scored 7 goals in those 2 games but have conceded a total of 7 in their 3 away matches this season.
Team News
Zenit St Petersburg will be without Oleg Shatov for this match but he is the only absentee for the home team. The hosts are expected to start in a 4-3-3 formation with Aleksandr Kokorin, Dimitri Poloz and Artem Dzyuba in attack. Real Sociedad are without Juanmi, Raul Navas and Carlos Martinez due to injury. The visitors are hoping Inigo Martinez will be fit but the defender is rated as doubtful.
Top Betting Tips
Given the recent form of Real Sociedad and the home results of Zenit St Petersburg, the Russian team must start as favourites to win this game and can be backed at 6/5 with William Hill to win the match. Real Sociedad have struggled to keep goals out when playing away from home and Zenit St Petersburg will be hopeful of scoring a couple of goals in this game. You can get 21/20 with Coral for Zenit St Petersburg to score 2 or more goals. Aleksandr Kokorin scored 2 goals in the first game of the group and is Zenit St Petersburg top scorer this season. The Russian is 7/5 with Ladbrokes to score at any time.