Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar Europa League Preview and Prediction

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Galatasaray will host AZ Alkmaar on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League playoff, with the Turkish side facing a steep mountain to climb after suffering a 4-1 defeat in the first leg. The teams will meet in Istanbul, with Galatasaray needing to defy history to knock AZ out and set up a last-16 showdown with either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur. Okan Buruk's side have been prolific at home in continental play, netting three or more goals in six of their last seven European fixtures, but they have also conceded at least once in their last 21 European matches.

Galatasaray will welcome back several key players from suspension, including defensive anchor Davinson Sanchez, midfield enforcer Lucas Torreira, and star striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian's return is particularly crucial, as he marked his domestic comeback with a brace in Monday's 2-0 win over Rizespor. However, Buruk will be without marquee forwards Alvaro Morata and Mauro Icardi, leaving Osimhen as the primary attacking threat. The hosts will also miss versatile defender Kaan Ayhan, who is suspended after his first-leg dismissal, while Yunus Akgün and Ismail Jakobs remain sidelined.

AZ Alkmaar, on the other hand, are in the box seat, with a healthy advantage and a four-match winning streak, including a KNVB Beker quarterfinal triumph and back-to-back Eredivisie victories over Willem II and PEC Zwolle. Maarten Martens' squad has shown resilience in Europe, though not without drama, and they will be looking to capitalize on Galatasaray's defensive weaknesses. The Dutch side will be without injured trio Ruben van Bommel, Sem Westerveld, and Ibrahim Sadiq, but Kristijan Belic returns from suspension to reinforce the midfield.

The match is expected to be a high-scoring affair, with both teams capable of scoring multiple goals. Galatasaray's Europa League home games have averaged 5.5 goals, and AZ Alkmaar have conceded at least twice in three of their four away games in Europe this term. With Osimhen firing on all cylinders, Galatasaray have a real chance of putting pressure on the Dutch outfit, but their defensive flaws may ultimately prove costly. Here are the possible starting lineups for both teams:

• Galatasaray possible starting lineup: Muslera; Jelert, Sanchez, Bardakci, Kutlu; Torreira, Sara; Sallai, Mertens, Yilmaz; Osimhen
• AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup: Owusu-Oduro; Kasius, Goes, Penetra, Wolfe; Clasie, Koopmeiners; Poku, Mijnans, Lahdo; Parrott

The Europa League playoff decider is set to be an exciting match, with both teams looking to advance to the last 16. Galatasaray's attack will be led by Osimhen, while AZ Alkmaar's defense will be put to the test by the Turkish side's prolific goal-scoring record at home.

In terms of match statistics, here are some key numbers to consider:

• Match scores:
  1. Galatasaray 1, AZ Alkmaar 4 (first leg)
• Player statistics:
  1. Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray) - 19 goals in all competitions
  2. Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar) - 17 goals in all competitions
• Tournament schedules:
  1. Europa League last 16: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur (winner of Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar)
• Team rankings:
  1. Galatasaray - top scorers in the 2024-25 Europa League with 20 goals
  2. AZ Alkmaar - third in the Europa League goal-scoring rankings with 17 goals

Overall, the match between Galatasaray and AZ Alkmaar is set to be an exciting and high-scoring affair, with both teams looking to advance to the last 16 of the Europa League.

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