Union Saint Gilloise vs. Toulouse: Preview and betting tips

The Europa League group stage opens on Thursday. French side Toulouse will be in Belgium, while Union Saint Gilloise awaits. Last year’s dark horse of the competition is at least thinking about the quarter-finals this year

Union didn’t have an ideal start to the season, but they achieved their primary goal of qualifying for the Conference group stage. With ten points they are ninth in the league and only three points behind the third place in a balanced table.

Toulouse will have a peek at Europe thanks to their triumph in the French Cup. It is even worse off than Union in the league, winning only once in five rounds and is only four points clear of the 13th place barrier.

Union’s key figures

After the departure of Victor Boniface, Dennis Eckert Ayens has been great at the top, the second Bundesliga reinforcement has scored seven times and assisted once. Central midfielder Cameron Puertas netted two goals and assisted on three.

Toulouse key players

The visitors are led by winger Zakaria Aboukhlal, the Moroccan international has netted three goals so far. The midfield is unthinkable without Swiss midfielder Vincent Sierra, although he has only been with the team for six months, he is its captain.

Prediction

Union rely on a goal scoring attack, scoring more than once in three of their last four games, only failing in the rematch with Lugano. The offense is working without Boniface, and other stars besides Eckert haven’t woken up yet.

Toulouse, on the other hand, would need to wake up in attack, they have scored only three times in the last four games, twice coming up completely empty. Only the last three teams in the Ligue 1 table have a worse attack.

Considering Union’s productivity, especially the reinforcements from Germany, as well as Toulouse’s offensive misery so far, I think Saint Gilloise can win the group opener on home soil.

Betting Tip l Match Winner – Union Sant Gilloise

Source: UEFA