Galatasaray will host Sparta Prague after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League. Although Okan Buruk’s team finished third in their Champions League group, their Czech opponents finished second in Group C of the Europa League, preventing them from advancing directly to the round of 16.
Preview (Galatasaray vs. Sparta Prague)
Galatasaray, a regular fixture at Europe’s top table for the previous ten years, had to overcome three two-leg qualifying matches to even advance to the 2023–24 Champions League group stage, where Copenhagen was waiting along with two titans in the shape of Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Buruk’s team entered the final matchweek level on points with Copenhagen. They taking four points from their two games against the inadequate Red Devils. However, a 1-0 loss in Denmark doomed the Turkish Super Lig powerhouses to a chance at glory.
Galatasaray was the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup winner, defeating Arsenal in the final. However, since the competition’s rebranding, they have failed in their last five attempts to advance from the Champions League group stage and have never advanced past the round of sixteen in the Europa League. Buruk’s team scored goals despite falling short of keeping the opposition out in all but one of their Champions League group matches (the exception being their blank in the one-goal loss to Copenhagen). However, that Scandinavian misery is their only tournament loss.
Since then, the hosts have been virtually unstoppable in domestic competition, winning all eight of their Super Liga and Turkish Cup games. On Saturday, they easily defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 2-0 to take a two-point lead over Fenerbahce at the top of the standings. The Turkish Super Liga leaders defeated Basaksehir easily, marking their eighth straight home win. Sparta Prague, who just avoided elimination in the first round, now had the odds stacked against them.
Team News
The varied roster of Galatasaray is now in rather good shape. Hakim Ziyech, an attacker on loan from Chelsea, will miss the playoffs knockout stage. He suffered an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations. Buruk is unsure if center-back Abdulkerim Bardakci will play this week due to a hamstring problem. Additionally, midfielder Sergio Oliveira, who is recovering from a muscle ailment, has to be evaluated.
Victor Nelsson and Kerem Akturkoglu were both forced to leave the match with Basaksehir due to injuries. Buruk is optimistic that both players will recover in time for the first leg. Siege Aurier and Derrick Kohn, who arrived from Hannover 96, have taken Sacha Boey’s place in defense after their disastrous Champions League run, albeit the latter was left out of the hosts’ Europa League roster.
Due to undisclosed issues, Sparta’s right-back Andreas Vindheim will likely miss the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, their effective winger Lukas Haraslin did not play in the team’s victory over Karvina. For the first leg, the visitors are healthy overall. Martin Vitik, who started five of his team’s six group-stage matches, should be brought back to a three-man defensive wall.
Galatasaray 3-1 Sparta Prague
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