Will OL live up to the role of favorites in Bucharest?

Somewhat surprisingly, FCSB from Bucharest have reached the last 16 of the Europa League. Two victories in the play-offs against PAOK were enough for the Romanians to advance to the next round. However, the task in the last sixteen will by no means be easier, as Olympique Lyon, a team that successfully avoided the league phase of the intermediate round as a top eight team, awaits them. This is one of the reasons why the betting odds for the French team to advance are significantly lower ahead of Thursday evening’s first leg between FCSB and Lyon.

The role of favorites of “Les Gones” is also due to the fact that they have not lost a single away game in the competition so far and that their form in the league is also improving again after a temporary dip in results. Nevertheless, a prediction of an away win in the first match between FCSB and Lyon is associated with at least some risks, because the hosts have so far been able to convince across the board, especially defensively.
In general, first legs in a knockout phase are often characterized by a longer period of probing and risk minimization. Neither team wants to make the first mistake and consequently fall behind. It might therefore be a clever approach to consider odds on a rather low-scoring game between FCSB and Lyon. The bwin app offers a wide range of betting markets.

FCSB – Statistics & current form

FCSB’s run to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League is a notable success. It is only the second time since 2012/13 that the club, which once won the European Cup as the first Eastern European football club under a different name (1986), has reached the last 16 in the second most important club competition on the continent.

Pragmatism and security are very important to FSCB

However, anyone who thinks that the progress was full of glitz and glamour will be disappointed when looking at the various statistics. In fact, the team of Cypriot head coach Ilias Charalampous recorded just an xG value of 7.2 in the eight-match league phase. Only two of the 36 participating clubs had an even worse value.

The fact that they still managed an outstanding 14 points was due, on the one hand, to their impressive efficiency and, on the other, to their particularly strong standards. If you include their two successes in the play-offs against PAOK, there was no other team that scored more from set-pieces than the Bucharest side (six). Five of these six goals were scored from corners. The blue-and-reds are limited in their play and are not likely to cause any problems for the French visitors, even though more than 40,000 spectators are expected to find their way to the national arena on Thursday evening and create a great atmosphere.

In addition to the relatively easy-to-calculate offensive, the defense deserves a mention. In five of the ten Europa League matches played this season, the current leaders of the Romanian top flight have kept a clean sheet. At league level, they have kept a maximum of one goal in 18 (!) consecutive matches and a strong ten clean sheets. In the five EL home matches in 2024/25, there were three clean sheets and a total of just three goals conceded. In the last four home games at international level, the under 2.5 would have been accepted, which is why I am again predicting a maximum of two goals after 90 minutes for the upcoming first leg between FCSB and Lyon.

Lyon – Statistics & current form

Paulo Fonseca on the sidelines could become a rarity in the coming weeks and months. The Portuguese coach of Olympique Lyon made an inexcusable mistake on the weekend during the 2-1 home win against Stade Brest, when he stood in front of the shocked referee, loudly berated him and even gestured a headbutt. Fonseca was subsequently sent off and now faces a hefty punishment from the French league association. Up to seven months are on the table. Fonseca’s future in the country’s third-largest city is more uncertain than ever.

In terms of sport, an upward trend can be seen at OL

From a sporting point of view, however, the former AC Milan coach has nothing to be blamed for. Since Fonseca took over at OL, there have been three wins in five games. The former professional has led the former serial champions out of their scoring crisis and has suffered his only two defeats against PSG and OM – but both by only a single goal. The team from the south-east of France can therefore be said to be in an absolutely acceptable form, which should also lead to a positive result in the FCSB v Lyon clash on Thursday evening. Interwetten even believes in a success and is offering a top rate of 1.90 for the away win in the Interwetten app.

In the Europa League so far, OL – with a different coach – has also impressed defensively. Eight goals conceded in eight preliminary round games is a decent figure, which is further enhanced by the fact that only the two Bundesliga clubs from Hoffenheim (2:2) and Frankfurt (3:2) were able to score more than one goal against “Les Gones”.

From a compact base order, the French want to set their outstanding individualists in the offensive area in scene again in Bucharest. But it is also clear that there is no obligation to win, because the quarter-final should be fixed in their own stadium next week at the latest. On a positive note, OL have not lost any of their four away games so far in the 24/25 European League season and have not been beaten in a total of eleven (!) away European League games. However, if the 1.90 on the away win is still too risky for you, you will find betting odds of 3.85 on the X between FCSB and Lyon at Winamax Value! Especially considering the Winamax bonus.

FCSB – Lyon head to head / H2H record

All four previous duels took place in the UEFA Champions League. Lyon won three of those four games. There was also one draw. FCSB are still waiting in vain for a win against OL. However, because the encounters took place over 15 years ago, the relevance is limited anyway.

FCSB – Lyon Tip

The opponent in the quarter-finals is Real Sociedad or Manchester United. According to the AI prediction for FCSB against Lyon, there is hardly another tie in this Europa League round of 16 in which the signs are so clearly distributed. OL is the clear favorite to advance. Even away in the Romanian capital in front of a magnificent backdrop, the bookmakers believe that coach Paulo Fonseca’s team is capable of winning. In my opinion, however, the 1.90 is not necessarily a sure thing, because, as we know, the away team in a knockout first leg does not take any risks in order to win an even match.

Risk-loving tipsters can therefore try betting on the X. Alternatively, I recommend betting on a maximum of two goals after 90 minutes between FCSB and Lyon. The Romanians had one of the lowest xG values in the league phase and have so far primarily impressed defensively. OL is under no pressure to put on a show. Consequently, I expect the Under 2.5 to go through to an appealing top quote of 2.00 at Bwin. My stake is five units.