After the first leg of this Europa League qualifying match, Turkish giants Galatasaray have left themselves with an awful lot to do if they hope to reach the next stage. Second half goals from Saman Ghoddos and Jamie Hopcutt gave Ostersunds FK a 2-0 advantage heading into the second leg, with manager Igor Tudor having plenty of work to do ahead of the visit of the Swedish side.
Having finished fourth in the Turkish Super Lig, 13 points behind champions Besiktas, Galatasaray would have been hoping to kick-start their campaign with qualification for the Europa League proper, something which is now under serious danger. With so much riding on the game, it could well be a match worth betting on. As a result, let’s take a closer look at the two teams, along with our top betting tip for the encounter.
Galatasaray Form
Despite adding the likes of Maicon, Bafetimbi Gomis, Mariano and Younès Belhanda to their ranks over the summer, for a combined fee in the region of £15 million, Galatasaray looked well short of the required standard when they took on Ostersunds in Sweden last week. The visitors managed to register just three shots on target during the entire 90 minutes, who continue to struggle. With Dutch superstar Wesley Sneijder having departed for pastures new, it will now be up to another member of the squad to offer Galatasaray some creative flair in midfield. Despite their struggles however, the Turkish side are always a threat on home soil, even though the Türk Telekom Stadı is unlikely to be anywhere near full to capacity.
Ostersunds FK Form
Having qualified for the Europa League thanks to their surprise success in the Swedish Cup, Ostersunds may have feared the worst after being drawn against Galatasaray, former winners of the competition as recently as 2000. However, English manager Graham Potter inspired his team to a famous win at the Jämtkraft Arena, with the club having only been founded in 1996. Made up of Swedish players and those recruited from the lower leagues throughout Europe, a trip to Turkey promises to be a much tougher proposition.
Our Top Betting Tip
Despite their poor showing in the first leg, Galatasaray are likely to find a way to win the match, even if this still means that they miss out on progression to the next stage of the competition. Betting on them to do just that can be backed at best odds of 1/3 with bookmakers Betway, very appealing odds given Galatasaray’s home record in Europe over the years.
It will take something special for the Swedish minnows to produce another strong performance against their superior opponents.