Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between Galatasaray and Barcelona, including predictions, team news and possible line-ups.
After drawing 0-0 in front of their own fans in the first leg of the round of 16, Barcelona will strive to advance European League quarterfinals when Galatasaray welcome them to Turkey for the second leg.
xaviThe team enters the fray having beaten Osasuna for four unanswered in LaLiga, while Domenec Torrent's men came away with a 2-1 victory against Besiktas.
match preview
©Reuters
Back in Catalonia after his successful stage as Pep GuardiolaGalatasaray assistant coach Domenec Torrent at the Camp Nou witnessed his team put on a marvelous defensive display to achieve a memorable draw and leave everything on the line in the second leg.
A series of changes from Xavi did not pay off, though memphis payment came close a couple of times only to be thwarted by loan from Barcelona Inaki Pena - and that of Galatasaray Kerem Akturkoglu he came pretty close to winning it for his side that day.
After turning heads on the pitch at Camp Nou, Turkish star Akturkoglu was on double for his side as Galatasaray warmed up for the second leg with a 2-1 Super Lig win over Besiktas, as Torrent looks to instill a sense of resilience in the faltering giants.
Galatasaray come into Thursday's game having lost just one of their last seven in all competitions following a dismal losing run over the winter, and have only failed to score in one of their last 16 home games. Furthermore, since 2008, the hosts had not been excluded from their own turf in the Europa League.
The 1999-2000 UEFA Cup winners never reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League in its current format, but having beaten Marseille and Lazio at home in this season's tournament, remaining unbeaten in the process, the Torrent team can dare to dream.
©Reuters
Watching loan keeper Peña keep his parent club at bay must have been painful for Xavi on the sidelines, but Barcelona showed no such profligacy when Osasuna visited the Camp Nou for Sunday's top-flight battle.
A 27-minute burst saw in the first half Fernando Torres brace bag and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continues his fast start to life in Catalonia with his fifth LaLiga goal of the season, and substitute Riqui Puig he would get his second Blaugrana goal 15 minutes from the end.
The Blaugrana's decision to go with the former midfield maestro is certainly paying off as the visitors have won five of their last six and are now unbeaten in 10 in all competitions, but El Clasico is looming and Xavi is under. pressure to get your XI right. In this age.
Barca head into the second leg having conceded just one goal in their last four games in all tournaments, as well as winning each of their last three away from home, and since 2004, the La Liga giants have not been eliminated at this stage in Europe. second level competition.
Barcelona's most recent trip to Galatasaray ended in a 2-0 victory during the 2002-03 Champions League group stage, with Xavi playing 75 minutes of that match, and it would be history if Torrent's side thwarted the dreams of the Catalans of Europe. success in front of his ardent fan base.
Galatasaray Europa League form:
Galatasaray form (all competitions):
State of form of the Europa League of Barcelona:
Form Barcelona (all competitions):
team news
©Reuters
Galatasaray striker ryan babel He suffered a knock in the first leg but was fit enough to be on the bench for the Besiktas clash, and Torrent is ready to work with the same generation of players for the second leg.
Former Barcelona attacker Burn Turan is expected to miss a meeting with his former club due to injury, while Kaan Arslan, Halil Dervisoglu, Ismail Cipe |, Baris Yilmaz and Alpaslan Ozturk they weren't involved over the weekend either.
Omar Elabdellaoui received the go-ahead as a right-back against Besiktas, but Sasha Boey He will have to return to the same defense that kept a clean sheet at the Camp Nou in the first leg.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's long-term absentees Ansu Fati, Sergio Robert, Alexander Balde and Samuel Umtiti have joined the fringe by Gerard Piquéwho was taken out against Osasuna before being photographed with an ice pack on his groin.
Piqué is summoned for this contest but could well do without facing the meeting with Real Madrid, while gavi has returned from a European ban and Nico Gonzalez He has served his domestic suspension.
The changes didn't work out for Xavi last time, but he will surely consider a few more changes here before El Clasico, as Frankie de Jong, Ronald Araujo and Adama Traore set his sights on returning to the first XI. fate sergin will also displace the ineligible Daniel Alves.
Possible Galatasaray starting eleven:
pain; Boey, Marcao, Nelsson, Van Aanholt; Antalyali, Kutlu; Kilinc, Feghouli, Akturkoglu; Muhammad
Possible Barcelona starting eleven:
Ter Stegen; Deste, Araujo, Garcia, Alba; Pedri, Busquets, Of Jong; Traore, Aubameyang, Torres
We say: Galatasaray 1-2 Barcelona (Barcelona win 2-1 on aggregate)
Barcelona could have a tough trip against Galatasaray on the unforgiving turf of the Nef Stadium, with the hosts enjoying the new manager under Torrent and possessing a big difference at Akturkoglu.
A distinct lack of ruthlessness dogged the Catalans in the first leg, but with Xavi able to call on so many talented attacking options, La Blaugrana will hope to break through a beleaguered Galatasaray defense and advance to the last eight.
Better advice
Our expert informant partners in Sporita.com predict under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they're predicting for this game and for more of their tried and tested soccer tips.Less than 3.5:data
