Galatasaray SK faced significant challenges in the first half of their match against Young Boys Bern at the energetic Stadion Wankdorf, where the home crowd was fully behind their team. Young Boys took advantage early, with Joël Monteiro scoring in the 3rd minute after a Galatasaray turnover.
Monteiro struck again just before halftime, extending the lead to 2-0. Galatasaray came out stronger in the second half, with Michy Batshuayi coming off the bench to score in the 66th minute and then equalizing in the 72nd.
However, a late handball by Abdulkerim Bardakci led to a penalty and his second yellow card, which Ugrinic converted in the 86th minute, securing a 3-2 victory for Young Boys. Despite Galatasaray’s wins against Hatayspor and Konyaspor in their first two league matches, they focused solely on the Champions League this week.
Young Boys Bern, the reigning Swiss champions, began their Champions League journey with a win against Galatasaray. However, their domestic form has been poor, with only two points from their first five matches, leaving them winless.
After home losses to FC Wil and Sion, and a defeat at Servette, they managed draws against Yverdon and Zürich. The Swiss league has lagged behind the Turkish league in recent years, and it remains uncertain whether Bern can hold onto their advantage.
Galatasaray will be without Abdulkerim Bardakci due to his red card in the first leg, adding to their defensive concerns with Davinson Sanchez already out injured. Despite these challenges, Galatasaray has a strong SuperLig squad, filled with top talent.
Baris Yilmaz and international defender Ayhan, who were suspended last week, may return to the lineup. In midfield, Brazilian prospect G.Sara is showing great potential.
Michy Batshuayi, who joined on a free transfer after scoring 24 goals for Fenerbahce last season, has already netted three goals for Galatasaray, including two in the first leg against Young Boys.
Mauro Icardi had a standout 2023-24 season with 25 goals and 8 assists, while Dries Mertens, who contributed 9 goals and 16 assists last season, struggled in the first half and was substituted early.
For Young Boys, Monteiro shined in the first leg with two goals in the first half but faded in the second half and was eventually substituted. Congolese international Ganvoula, who has already scored three league goals this season, remains a key threat, while C.Itten, who scored 10 goals last season, started on the bench.
Mohamed Ali Camara, the team’s defensive captain, performed well despite carrying a yellow card. Other important players, including ex-Girondin Benito and captain Lakomy, also contributed significantly despite injury concerns.
However, Young Boys will miss Saidy Janko, K.Imeri, and Facinet Contet due to injuries, and recent signing Pfeiffer from Augsburg is also unavailable. Colley, who was brought in from Atalanta Bergamo, started on the left wing but delivered an average performance.
Prediction
Galatasaray’s recent Champions League matches have seen plenty of goals, with five of their last six games producing over 2.5 goals. Similarly, four of Young Boys’ last six matches in the competition have followed the same trend. Therefore, another high-scoring match is expected.
Prediction: Galatasaray 2 : 2 Young Boys
