Galatasaray vs Young Boys Prediction: 27/8/2024

Galatasaray SK struggled in the first half of their match against Young Boys Bern, played at the lively Stadion Wankdorf, which was filled with fans decked out in yellow. The home team came out strong, with Joël Monteiro punishing Galatasaray early on with a goal in the 3rd minute after a turnover in Galatasaray’s half.

Monteiro doubled the lead just before halftime, making it 2-0. Galatasaray returned after the break with renewed energy and saw Michy Batshuayi come off the bench to make an impact, scoring in the 66th minute and equalizing in the 72nd. However, a late handball by Abdulkerim Bardakci, who had a tough game, led to a penalty and his second yellow card.

Ugrinic converted the penalty in the 86th minute, securing a 3-2 win for Young Boys. Despite winning their first league match against Hatayspor 2-1 and beating Konyaspor 2-1 in their second match, Galatasaray SK did not play in the league this week as they focused on the Champions League.

Young Boys Bern, the reigning Swiss champions, started this Champions League campaign with a victory against Galatasaray. Despite this success, their domestic form has been disappointing, with only 2 points from their first 5 matches, leaving them without a win. After home losses to FC Wil and Sion, followed by a defeat at Servette, they managed to draw against Yverdon and Zürich. The Swiss league has been notably weaker compared to the Turkish league in recent years, and it remains to be seen if Bern can maintain their advantage.

Galatasaray will be missing Abdulkerim Bardakci due to a red card in the first leg, adding to their defensive woes with Davinson Sanchez already sidelined due to injury. Despite these setbacks, Galatasaray boasts a formidable squad for the SuperLig, filled with star players.

Baris Yilmaz and international defender Ayhan, who were suspended last week, could return to action. In midfield, the club has high hopes for Brazilian talent G.Sara, who has shown great promise. Michy Batshuayi, who joined on a free transfer after scoring 24 goals with Fenerbahce last season, has already scored three goals for Galatasaray, including two in the first leg against Young Boys. Mauro Icardi also had a stellar 2023-24 season with 25 goals and 8 assists. Dries Mertens, who had 9 goals and 16 assists last season, struggled in the first half and was quickly substituted.

For Young Boys, Monteiro was the star of the first leg with two first-half goals but was quieter in the second half and was eventually subbed off. Ganvoula, a Congolese international, has already scored three league goals this season and poses a significant threat, while C.Itten, who scored 10 goals last season, started on the bench.

Mohamed Ali Camara, who captains the defense, played well despite carrying a yellow card. Several other players, including ex-Girondin Benito and captain Lakomy, played important roles despite injury concerns. However, Young Boys will miss Saidy Janko, K.Imeri, and Facinet Contet due to injuries, and recent signing Pfeiffer from Augsburg is also unavailable. Colley, acquired from Atalanta Bergamo, started on the left wing but had an average performance.

 

Prediction

Galatasaray’s last encounter with Young Boys in the Champions League ended with five goals, and five of their previous six matches in the competition have featured over 2.5 goals. Similarly, four of Young Boys’ last six games in this tournament have seen a similar goal tally. Therefore, another high-scoring match seems likely.

Prediction: Galatasaray 2 : 2 Young Boys