Best Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker:
With a Champions League group stage ticket still hanging in the balance on Tuesday night, Galatasaray will welcome Young Boys to Istanbul.
Galatasaray
Starting with the hosts, suffering late heartbreak over in Switzerland last week as they eventually fell to an action-packed 3-2 defeat, Galatasaray have a real job on their hands here. Although the Turkish heavyweights might have opened the new Super Lig campaign with back-to-back victories, Okay Buruk’s men have struggled to find any kind of stability. Remarkably getting proceedings underway with an infamous display on August 3rd as they slumped to a 5-0 drumming at the hands of Besiktas in the Turkish Super Cup, the former Goztepe boss knows that his squad faces a must-win showdown on Tuesday night. Showing some glaring defensive issues on foreign soil last week, Galatasaray have also continued show some extended struggles at the back. In fact, shipping 10 gaols in their first four competitive appearances this season, Buruk’s side have failed to muster a single clean sheet from any of their previous eight appearances on either side of the summer break.
Team News
Shown a second-half red card over in Switzerland last week, 29-year-old Abdulkerim Bardakci will miss out through suspension on Tuesday night. Likewise, still dealing with a recent muscle injury, former Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez remains a real doubt here.
Coming off the bench and bagging a brace in Bern last week, ex-Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi will be hoping for a full recall in Istanbul. However, despite notching just a single goal across any competition since opening up the new campaign, attacking talisman Mauro Icardi should keep his spot spearhead Buruk’s attack.
BSC Young Boys
As for the visitors, while Young Boys might have opened their first-leg showdown in Bern last week pencilled in as an underdog, the Swiss heavyweight sprung a major upset at the Wankdorf Stadium. Storming their way to that 3-2 victory on home soil and now looking to finish off their qualifying adventure in Istanbul on Tuesday night, Patrick Rahmen’s men will be desperate to use that performance as a platform to build on. However, despite claiming a 17th domestic crown last season, Young Boys have come under plenty of scrutiny since opening the 2024/25 campaign. Getting proceedings underway with a 2-1 loss at the hands of Sion on July 21st, the midweek guests have remarkably failed to record a single victory from any of their first five Super League showdowns. Also showing their own respective defensive issues, Rahmen’s squad are seeking one more miracle in Istanbul.
Team News
Both still dealing with respective long-term injury issues continuing on from last season, Young Boys will once again be without the duo of Facinet Conte and one-time Nottingham Forest defender Saidy Janko on Tuesday night. However, the Swiss champions do remain hopeful that Poland U21 international Lukasz Lakomy can return to Rahmen’s squad here.
Watching number-one goalkeeper David von Ballmoos suffer a first-half knock
Bagging a first-leg brace in Bern last week, 22-year-old Marvin Keller could start between the sticks. Notching a first-leg brace in Bern, Joel Monteiro will partner ex-Anderlecht striker Silvere Ganvoula in the final third.
Key Factors to Consider
