SM
Barcelona vs. Valencia: 17 hrs 56 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
G
Europa League | Last 16 | 2nd Leg
Mar 17, 2022 at 5.45pm UK
Vodafone Stadyumu
BL

Galatasaray
1 - 2
Barcelona

Marcao (28')
Marcao (30'), van Aanholt (72'), Bayram (90')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Pedri (37'), Aubameyang (50')
Busquets (27'), Garcia (42'), Gavi (79'), Alba (87')

Preview: Galatasaray vs. Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Galatasaray vs. Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between Galatasaray and Barcelona, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Having been held to a 0-0 draw in front of their own fans in the first leg of their last-16 tie, Barcelona will endeavour to advance to the Europa League quarter-finals when Galatasaray welcome them to Turkey for the second leg.

Xavi's side enter the contest having hit Osasuna for four without reply in La Liga, while Domenec Torrent's men ran out 2-1 winners against Besiktas.


Match preview

Returning to Catalonia after his wholly successful spell as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Camp Nou, Galatasaray boss Domenec Torrent witnessed his side produce a marvellous defensive display to claim a memorable draw and leave it all to play for in the second leg.

A raft of changes from Xavi did not pay off - although Memphis Depay went close a couple of times only to be thwarted by Barcelona loanee Inaki Pena - and Galatasaray's Kerem Akturkoglu came pretty close to winning it for his side on the day.

After catching the eye on the Camp Nou turf, Turkish starlet Akturkoglu was at the double for his side as Galatasaray warmed up for the second leg with a 2-1 Super Lig success over Besiktas, as Torrent seeks to instil a sense of resilience into the faltering giants.

Galatasaray head into Thursday's game having lost just one of their last seven in all competitions after a dismal streak of defeats over the winter, and they have only failed to score in one of their last 16 home games. Furthermore, not since 2008 have the hosts been shut out on their own turf in the Europa League.

The 1999-2000 UEFA Cup winners have never made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in its current format, but having already seen off Marseille and Lazio on home soil in this season's tournament - staying unbeaten in the process - Torrent's side can dare to dream.

Witnessing on-loan goalkeeper Pena keep his parent club at bay must have been a painful watch for Xavi on the sidelines, but Barcelona demonstrated no such profligacy when Osasuna paid a visit to Camp Nou for Sunday's top-flight battle.

A 27-minute first-half flurry saw Ferran Torres bag a brace and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continue his fast start to life in Catalonia with his fifth La Liga goal of the season, and substitute Riqui Puig would bag only his second Blaugrana goal 15 minutes from time.

The Blaugrana's decision to take a punt on former midfield maestro is certainly paying dividends, with the visitors winning five of their last six and now unbeaten in 10 in all competitions, but El Clasico is looming, and Xavi is under pressure to get his XI right this time around.

Barca head into the second leg having only conceded one goal in their last four games across all tournaments - as well as winning each of their last three away from home - and not since 2004 have the La Liga giants been dumped out at this stage of Europe's second-tier competition.

Barcelona's most recent trip to Galatasaray ended in a 2-0 win during the 2002-03 Champions League group stage, with Xavi playing 75 minutes of that contest, and it would be some story if Torrent's side were to dash the Catalans' dreams of European success in front of their ardent fanbase.

Galatasaray Europa League form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • D

Galatasaray form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • D
  • W

Barcelona Europa League form:
  • D
  • W
  • D

Barcelona form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W

Team News

Galatasaray attacker Ryan Babel picked up a knock in the first leg but was fit enough to make the bench for the Besiktas clash, and Torrent is set to be working with the same crop of players for the second leg.

Ex-Barcelona attacker Arda Turan is expected to miss out on a reunion with his former club due to injury, while Kaan Arslan, Halil Dervisoglu, Ismail Cipe, Baris Yilmaz and Alpaslan Ozturk were not involved at the weekend either.

Omar Elabdellaoui was given the nod at right-back against Besiktas, but Sacha Boey should return to the same defence which kept a clean sheet at Camp Nou in the first leg.

Meanwhile, Barcelona's long-term absentees Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto, Alejandro Balde and Samuel Umtiti have been joined on the sidelines by Gerard Pique, who was taken off against Osasuna before being pictured with an ice pack on his groin.

Pique has made the squad for this contest but could very well be spared for the meeting with Real Madrid, while Gavi is back from a European ban and Nico Gonzalez has served his domestic suspension.

The changes did not pay off for Xavi last time, but he will certainly ponder some more alterations here ahead of El Clasico, as Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo and Adama Traore set their sights on returns to the first XI. Sergino Dest will also displace the ineligible Dani Alves.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Pena; Boey, Marcao, Nelsson, Van Aanholt; Antalyali, Kutlu; Kilinc, Feghouli, Akturkoglu; Mohamed

Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Dest, Araujo, Garcia, Alba; Pedri, Busquets, De Jong; Traore, Aubameyang, Torres


We say: Galatasaray 1-2 Barcelona (Barcelona win 2-1 on aggregate)

Barcelona could be in for a rough ride against Galatasaray on the unforgiving Nef Stadium turf, with the hosts enjoying the new manager bounce under Torrent and possessing quite the difference-maker in Akturkoglu.

A distinct lack of ruthlessness bedevilled the Catalans in the first leg, but with Xavi able to call upon so many talented attacking options, La Blaugrana will expect to break down a beleaguered Galatasaray defence and advance to the last eight.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data




body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__480775 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-03-17 00:55:15:
html db last update - 2022-03-15 10:00:06 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Roma join race for Barcelona's Sergino Dest?
Champions Man City continue title charge with win at Forest
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid33266171224984
2GironaGirona33225669402971
3Barcelona32217464372770
4Atletico MadridAtletico33204962392364
5Athletic Bilbao331610753332058
6Real Sociedad331312846351151
7Real BetisBetis33121384139249
8Valencia32138113534147
9Villarreal33129125455-145
10Getafe331013104145-443
11Osasuna33116163749-1239
12Sevilla33911134246-438
13AlavesAlaves33108153138-738
14Las PalmasLas Palmas33107163041-1137
15Rayo Vallecano33713132742-1534
16Mallorca33614132739-1232
17Celta Vigo33710163750-1331
18CadizCadiz33414152346-2326
19Granada3349203661-2521
RAlmeria33111213267-3514
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Premier League Team of the Week - Havertz, Gallagher, Robertson

1

PL

This weekend's permutations: Who can be crowned champions, win promotion or suffer relegation?

2

TW

Bournemouth's Semenyo suffers "bad" injury in Brighton win

NEW

3

BS

Man City's Ederson set to miss rest of season?

NEW

4

MC

Five potential free agents Man Utd should target this summer

5

FP

Team News: Barcelona vs. Valencia injury, suspension list, predicted XIs

6

TN

PSG crowned Ligue 1 champions as Monaco lose to Lyon

7

PC

Bournemouth create history with victory over Brighton & Hove Albion

8

BC

Preview: Bayern vs. Real Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PB

Sunday's Premier League predictions including Tottenham vs. Arsenal

10

SP


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .