Rayo Vallecano hold a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg of their UECL semi-final tie against Strasbourg.

The two teams will face each other in the reverse of this fixture on Friday, May 8 (06:00 AEDT), with the French side set to host in order to keep their own hopes alive of European soccer success this season.

Quick Picks

• Our pick: Strasbourg to win
• Value bet: Under 2.5 Goals
• Long shot: Strasbourg 2-0

Betting Preview

Iñigo Pérez's side head to France this week and will have one goal to defend to advance to the final, after Alemao scored a second-half effort to give the Spanish side the edge. In truth, it was nothing short of what they deserved in the first leg, as they completely dominated the home tie.

Rayo Vallecano would have only 54% of the ball, but they had seven times as many shots as their opponents. Totalling 21 attempts on goal, they had eight go on target. In contrast, Gary O'Neil's Strasbourg would only have three attempts, with none on target.

Still, they've managed to come from behind when it has mattered most, even when the first-leg deficit was far greater. The most notable was in the previous round, when they lost 2-0 to Mainz in Germany. In their home clash, they would put on a show, putting four past the Germans without conceding another goal themselves.

It's definitely something the Spanish side will be wary of, knowing that they haven't been great on their travels. They lost in the last round in the away tie 3-1 to AEK Athens.

Betting Markets to Watch

Given the respective form the two teams have shown home and away, it's perhaps no real surprise that Strasbourg have been made the moderate favourites in the soccer betting for this one.

With all of these aspects in mind, we think the better value worth exploring lies in the Strasbourg outcome in the to qualify for the next round market. As we've highlighted, the French side have overturned deficits before when playing at home, while the Spanish side have shown vulnerabilities while on the road.

We think there could be value in the 'Under 2.5 goals' market, with Strasbourg being strong at home. The BTTS not hitting also offers significant value, as we think the French team could be as defensively solid as they've been at home in the past.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Strasbourg vs Rayo Vallecano betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is a likely win for Strasbourg, with the French side to qualify for the UECL final. For those looking to learn more about how to bet on the Conference League, this semi-final tie offers plenty of value opportunities.

Our long shot bet is in the correct score market, with 2-0 Strasbourg offering good value worth exploring, given how well they perform at home when their backs are against the wall and the weaknesses Rayo Vallecano have shown on the road.