Barcelona vs. Galatasaray— Xavi’s Men On a Mission To Turn Their European Disgrace To Glory

March 9, 2022

Benson Chikezie, Senior Author

When Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League, everyone in the footballing world wrote them off. When the Camp Nou welcomes Galatasaray on the 11th of March, 01:30 Indian Standard Time, Barcelona will be looked upon as favorites to win the Europa League trophy at their first time of asking.

Barca have seemingly turned their season around and are now hunting for glory in Europe’s second-tier competition. They sit third in La Liga and are playing their best football in a long time. The arrival of Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Adama Traore has rejuvenated the squad somewhat. Galatasaray are appearing at this stage of the competition for the first time in their history. They have not been in their best form of late but look to duel against Europe’s elite in the Europa League.

Teams Status

We bring you the latest form and team news from Barcelona and Galatasaray:

Barcelona Form and Team News

The Catalan giants have hit top gear at a crucial time in the season and are currently on a 4-game winning run, in which they have scored 14 goals. Top players like Aubameyang and Torres have fit into the team seamlessly, giving them attacking bite to match the stability they already have in the middle of the park.

Barca are 3rd in La Liga and on course to book their Champions League spot. They have eyes on the Europa League trophy, too, as it remains the only one yet missing in their trophy cabinet. After dominating Napoli 5-3 on aggregate, they are making their intentions clear in Europe.

Going into this game, Barca will be missing the likes of Dani Alves, who is not registered for the Europa League, and Gavi, who is suspended. Also, Samuel Umtiti, Alejandro Balde, Ansu Fati, and Sergi Roberto are all injured and will miss the game.

Galatasaray Form and Team News

Galatasaray’s form has declined of late, and their current position in the league (12th) is proof of that. The Turkish giants are not having a great season by their standards, with 6 losses, 2 wins, and 2 draws in their last 10 games in all competitions. They appeared to have somewhat recovered recently, recording two draws and two wins before slumping to a 2-nil defeat during the weekend.

In Europe, they have been much better and are unbeaten in their last 10 games in the Europa League (5 wins and 5 draws). Their away form in Europe is not so positive, with 5 losses, 1 win, and 4 draws in their last 10 away European fixtures. Sofiane Feghouli is their only bright spot in Europe with 2 goals and 1 assist this season.

For their team news, Galatasaray will have to make do without Arda Turan, Burak Yilmaz, Sofiane Feghouli, and Kaan Arslan, who are sidelined with different injuries.

What Do the Sportsbooks Say?

Barcelona	Draw	Galatasaray
1.15	8	18.5
1.18	8.5	19
1.16	9.5	19

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona are overwhelming favorites to win this fixture convincingly, with Galatasaray’s odds of winning entering into double figures. Galatasaray to win is placed at 18.5, 19, and 19 odds on the sportsbooks at Sportsbet.io, Parimatch, Melbet.

The odds for a draw stand at 8, 9.5, and 8.5 on the three sportsbooks, while Barcelona to win is placed at 1.15, 1.16, and 1.18 odds, respectively. The sportsbooks believe an upset at the hands of Galatasaray for Barcelona is highly unlikely. Although one cannot rule out any possibilities, Barcelona look more solid than their opponents currently.

Tipster’s Angle

Barcelona and Galatasaray have met 8 times in all competitions, with Barca winning 5 of those meetings, Galatasaray winning 1, and the other 2 ending in draws. Both sides are experiencing contrasting fortunes presently, with Barca flying and Galatasaray languishing. Here are our tips for this fixture:

Tip: Barcelona To Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.28

Barcelona are flying at the moment and are on a 4-match winning run, scoring an average of 3 goals per game. They play at home against Galatasaray, and we expect a win for Barcelona with at least two goals. Barcelona to win and over 1.5 goals is available on the Paripesa sportsbook at 1.28 odds.

Tip: Barcelona (Half Time/Full Time) @ 1.57

Galatasaray have a poor record against Spanish sides and away in European competition. Playing against a rejuvenated Barcelona team and missing key players like Feghouli and Yilmaz, Barca may be too much for them to handle. We expect Barcelona to be ahead at halftime and at full-time. Barca to win at halftime and full-time is available on the Parimatch sportsbook at 1.57 odds.

Conclusion

Barcelona are positioning themselves as favorites to win the Europa League and will fancy their chances of getting an easy win over the visiting Turkish side. Galatasaray are having a poor season but will come to compete regardless. We expect Barcelona to dominate the game in all aspects (possession, chances, and goals), but an upset cannot be ruled out.

Benson Chikezie

16:50, 9 Mar 2022

Senior Author

Benson Chikezie

Senior Author

16:50, 9 Mar 2022

Benson Chikezie is a Nigerian-based writer with many years of experience in the sports betting industry. He is a digital marketer by profession. Benson has written many sports related contents for various websites.