2023/2024 EL Group C: Rangers - Real Betis - Sparta Praha - Aris Limassol

[matt]

Sparta's gk gifted Betis a goal and in the last action of the game the Czechs had a great chance to equalize. Anyway, with this result and the Rangers loss, the Spanish team return to be the favourite for the group win. Aris are not pushovers.

[bugylibicska]

Group winner:

Real Betis 1.73
Rangers 3.50
Sparta Prague 5.50
Aris Limassol 13.00

[Dragonite]

Congratulations Aris Limassol!


At the moment they're the best EL debutant, the only one that already won. Actually they have more points than all the other EL debutants combined (Backa Topola 1, Brighton 1, Raków 0, Servette 0 and Häcken 0).


Rangers had a great start two weeks ago, winning against the highest ranked opponent. But now they ruined it, losing against the lowest ranked opponent. I guess that's a "zero sum".

[bugylibicska]

To win the group:

Real Betis 1.20
Rangers 7.00
Sparta Prague 7.50
Aris Limassol 21.00

After an unexpected loss in the 1st round Betis are in the driving seat now. Rangers are slight favourites over Sparta after their away draw. Aris Limassol are the outsiders, but could spoil somebody's ambition.

[Dragonite]

Expected win for Real Betis.

Aris Limassol had 0 shots on goal.

Third match for Rangers, all with different managers and different results: won the first with Michael Beale in charge, lost the second with Steven Davis in charge, and now drew the third with Philippe Clement in charge.

They can keep changing managers, but now they'll start repeating results.

[bugylibicska]

To win the group:

Real Betis 1.20
Rangers 7.00
Sparta Prague 7.50
Aris Limassol 21.00

After an unexpected loss in the 1st round Betis are in the driving seat now. Rangers are slight favourites over Sparta after their away draw. Aris Limassol are the outsiders, but could spoil somebody's ambition.

Group winner:

Real Betis 1.25
Rangers 3.25
Sparta Prague 51.00

I think after Rangers' win over Sparta this group is done and dusted. The top 2 are known only the 3rd spot is questionable.

[Lubomir25]

Expected win for Real Betis.

Aris Limassol had 0 shots on goal.

Third match for Rangers, all with different managers and different results: won the first with Michael Beale in charge, lost the second with Steven Davis in charge, and now drew the third with Philippe Clement in charge.

They can keep changing managers, but now they'll start repeating results.

Will they? Another week of you talking....

[Dragonite]

Congratulations Rangers!


For some reason I keep underestimating them and/or overestimating Sparta Praha. Two seasons ago they were in the same EL group, my prediction was that Sparta Praha would advance and Rangers wouldn't, and instead it was Rangers advancing and reaching the final! Now once again they're in the same EL group, my prediction was that Sparta Praha would advance and Rangers wouldn't, and it seems that once again I was wrong.

It's like Sparta Praha is cursed!

For the "crime" of winning its EL group in 2016/2017 and eliminating "top top whatevers" Southampton and Inter, the "punishment" seems to be never again finishing top 2 in any group!!!

Let's see if they can at least achieve the bare minimum, which is finishing above Aris Limassol.

[bugylibicska]

To win the group:

Real Betis 1.20
Rangers 7.00
Sparta Prague 7.50
Aris Limassol 21.00

After an unexpected loss in the 1st round Betis are in the driving seat now. Rangers are slight favourites over Sparta after their away draw. Aris Limassol are the outsiders, but could spoil somebody's ambition.

Group winner:

Real Betis 1.25
Rangers 3.25
Sparta Prague 51.00

I think after Rangers' win over Sparta this group is done and dusted. The top 2 are known only the 3rd spot is questionable.

Group winner:

Real Betis 1.22
Rangers 4.00
Sparta Prague 51.00

After Rangers dropped points against Aris Limassol in Glasgow the door opened for Sparta Praha. If they win in Cyprus they've qualified regardless the Betis - Rangers result. Betis need only a point to qualify against Rangers. Aris Limassol could still finish 3rd if beat Sparta by 2 goals margin.

[Dragonite]

Congratulations Sparta Praha!


They can still be anything here, from last placed (if they lose in Cyprus by at least 2 goals difference), to third placed (if they lose by 1 goal difference or draw in Cyprus), to second placed (if they win in Cyprus), and even group winners (if there's a draw in Real Betis vs Rangers and then in in Cyprus by four goals difference).

Winning in Cyprus may not be as easy as it seems though. Sparta Praha couldn't win any of its last 6 away EL matches (LOSC, Brondby, Lyon, Rangers, Real Betis and Rangers). The last time that they won an EL match away was in November 2020 against Celtic.

[CrabCZ]

They can still be anything here, from last placed (if they lose in Cyprus by at least 2 goals difference), to third placed (if they lose by 1 goal difference or draw in Cyprus), to second placed (if they win in Cyprus), and even group winners (if there's a draw in Real Betis vs Rangers and then in in Cyprus by four goals difference).

I think it's by three goals if Betis-Rangers ends in a 0-0, 1-1, or 2-2 draw.

[Firnen]

Prediction

1. Betis
2. Sparta Prague
3. Aris Limassol
4. Rangers

My CL predictions were better than the EL ones.

[Mufi315]

Prediction

1. Betis
2. Sparta Prague
3. Aris Limassol
4. Rangers

My CL predictions were better than the EL ones.

That's why I like these lower competitions. They are often more interesting and exciting than CL, where they being dominated billion € giants.

It's a pity that the EL & ECL matches are also not divided into several days, for example on Wednesday/Thursday or on Thursday/Friday...

[Dragonite]

Congratulations Rangers for winning the group!


Congratulations Sparta Praha for getting the second place!


And well done Real Betis for getting the third spot!


It's the first time that Real Betis can't advance from the EL group stages. They already had another season with 9 points in their group and a worse GD, only +1, but back then, in 2013/2014 in a group with Lyon, Rijeka and Vitória Guimarães, that was still enough to advance, while now it wasn't.

Prediction:
1. Real Betis
2. Sparta Praha
3. Rangers
4. Aris Limassol

Another group where I was right about the second and last placed teams, but wrong about the rest.

[Polak]

Initial prediction

I think this group could be quite surprising. I'm going to go for Sparta Prague to finish top. Aris should be bottom. Their opponents are stronger than the likes of BATE and Slovan Bratislava so they won't be dishing out any trashings. They might be on the end of some actually. The question remains who takes 2nd and 3rd place? Rangers were runners up in 21/22, but that was then. I think that they'll drop to the Conference League here.

1. Sparta Prague
2. Real Betis
3. Rangers
4. Aris Limassol

Actual table

1. Rangers
2. Sparta Prague
3. Real Betis
4. Aris Limassol

Rangers were a lot better than I expected. Sparta Prague also qualified although I thought they would win the group. I'm surprised Betis only managed to qualify for the Conference League. The Conference League will have a Spanish participant after all . Aris were bottom as expected.