Galatasaray hosts Barcelona in the second leg of the Europa League 1/8 finals. The match will be played on Thursday, March 17th at Nef Stadium (Istanbul)
Galatasaray started their performance in European competitions from the Champions League qualification, and having left it, the Yellow-Reds made it to the group stage of the Europa League. And taking 1st place in Group E, they got the right to play in the 1/8 finals. Galatasaray earned 12 points in matches against Lazio (1-0 and 0-0), Marseille (0-0 and 4-2), and Lokomotiv Moscow (1-0 and 1-1). Despite a decent performance in European competitions, the Lions failed the season in the local arena. Denizlispor eliminated them from the Turkish Cup in the 1/16 finals (3-3 and 5-6 on penalties), and they are taking only 11th place in the Super League standings with 38 points. Galatasaray does not claim the champion’s title and is likely to be left without a ticket to European competitions next season. Fatih Terim, whom the bosses fired in January, was replaced by a former assistant of Josep Guardiola, Domenec Torrent. Under the management of a new coach, Galatasaray stabilized its results in the Turkish championship. In the last four rounds, Yellow-Reds gained three victories. On March 14, they defeated Besiktas at home in the Istanbul derby (2-1).
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Barcelona also got to the Europa League from the Champions League, finishing third in Group E. In the 1/16 finals of the 2nd European Cup, the Catalans overcame the resistance of Napoli (1-1 and 2-4). Unlike Galatasaray, Barca can boast of more solid results in the national championship. The Blue-Garnets entrenched themselves in the Champions League zone due to an unbeaten streak of 12 rounds. Moreover, they gained four victories in the last four LaLiga matches. On March 13, Xavi's men did not leave Osasuna a chance at Camp Nou (4-0). Ferran Torres scored a brace, and the fans also saw accurate shots from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ricard Puig.
Barcelona remains the favorite of the confrontation, despite a goalless draw in Catalonia. The Blue-Garnets could have won the home game if they had been more careful about the numerous scoring chances. Xavi's team should be angrier and more motivated than a week ago, and this should be reflected in the final result. And due to the match against Real Madrid on Sunday, Barcelona will try to secure a comfortable lead even before the break.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win the first half and the match
