<p><em>The UEFA Europa League will have its Round of 16 first legs take place on Friday, March 13th, with games split between two kickoff times. Some will kick off at 04:45 AEDT, while others will kick off at 07:00 AEDT.</em></p><p>The ties to be played are:</p><ul><li>VfB Stuttgart vs FC Porto (04:45 AEDT)</li><li>Bologna vs Roma (04:45 AEDT)</li><li>Panathinaikos vs Real Betis (04:45 AEDT)</li><li>LOSC Lille vs Aston Villa (04:45 AEDT)</li><li>Nottingham Forest vs Midtjylland (07:00 AEDT)</li><li>Genk vs Freiburg (07:00 AEDT)</li><li>Ferencvaros vs Braga (07:00 AEDT)</li><li>Celta Vigo vs Lyon (07:00 AEDT)</li></ul><h2>Quick Picks</h2><p><strong>Our pick:</strong> Aston Villa to win</p><p><strong>Value bet:</strong> Lyon to win</p><p><strong>Long shot:</strong> Midtjylland to Win And Draw in Double Chance</p><h2>Betting Preview</h2><p>There are several tasty ties scheduled for Friday, with the game between Bologna and Roma among them. In an all-Italian affair, there does appear to be some value in the hosts as an underdog in the first game. If you're looking to explore this competition further, our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-europa-league">UEFA Europa League betting guide</a> covers the key markets and strategies.</p><p>They come into this game in fine form with five wins in their last six games, and they have a strong recent record against Roma, despite losing 1-0 earlier in the season. Still, Bologna have kept clean sheets in each of their last three European games and in four of their last five games.</p><p>Elsewhere, the game between Lille and Aston Villa provides intrigue. The English side are the favourites to win the competition, having finished second in the League Phase after winning 7 of their 8 games. Lille needed extra time to get past Crvena Zvezda over two legs. For those interested in <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer">soccer betting</a>, this tie presents some compelling options.</p><h2>Betting Markets to Watch</h2><p><strong>Aston Villa to win 1-0 offers value as a correct score</strong>. Six of Lille's 10 Europa League games this season have seen a single goal scored within 90 minutes, as have seven of their previous nine games across all competitions. Five of Villa's seven League Phase wins came by a single goal. Both teams have struggled recently, but Unai Emery's side should have enough to win.</p><p>Nottingham Forest vs Midtjylland is a re-run of an early group game, where the Danes won 3-2 at the City Ground in October. Forest have a different manager in charge now and managed to knock out Fenerbahce in the playoffs. <strong>Midtjylland And Draw in the Double Chance</strong> market offers value as underdogs, as the Danish outfit have been tough to beat wherever they go this season, losing only four of their 21 competitive away games. In addition, Forest have failed to win seven of their last eight home games.</p><p><strong>Lyon represent value as underdogs</strong> in their game against Celta Vigo. They've won seven of its last eight Europa League matches, while the Spanish side lost three times in the Group Phase, including once at home. For punters exploring <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/france/french-ligue-1">Ligue 1 betting</a>, Lyon's European form is worth noting.</p><h2>Our Prediction</h2><p>Check the latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/uefa-competitions/uefa-europa-league">UEL betting odds</a> at Sportsbet.</p><p>Our top predictions are as follows:</p><ul><li><strong>Aston Villa to beat Lille 1-0</strong></li><li><strong>Midtjylland to Win And Draw in Double Chance</strong></li><li><strong>Lyon to beat Celta Vigo as underdogs</strong></li></ul><h2>Keep Reading</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-uefa-champions-league">How to bet on the Champions League like a pro</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/serie-a-betting-guide-2025-26">Everything you need to know before betting on Serie A</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-uefa-conference-league">The complete guide to Conference League betting</a></li></ul>