Both aiming to launch their league phase campaigns with maximum points, Galatasaray and PAOK will lock horns at Adams Park on Wednesday for the first matchday of the 2024-25 Europa League.
The hosts dropped down into this competition after being eliminated from the playoff qualifying round for the Champions League, while the visitors qualified with a 6-0 aggregate win in the Europa League playoff round.
Match preview
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After securing back-to-back Turkish Super Lig titles and making history as the first Turkish team to reach 100 points, finishing with 102 last year, Galatasaray will be set on achieving further success this season.
Okan Buruk's team failed in their attempt to achieve the ideal start to the 2024-25 season, suffering a disheartening 5-0 defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Kupa on the campaign's opening day.
However, Galatasaray have bounced back in fantastic fashion, winning all of their opening six league fixtures to already establish a five-point lead at the top of the table.
Unfortunately for Buruk, they failed to replicate their domestic form in their Champions League playoff qualifying round tie against Young Boys, disappointingly losing 4-2 on aggregate to relegate them into Europe's second-tier tournament.
That elimination may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Lions, with Galatasaray boasting a star-studded squad, including the unexpected summer loan signing of Victor Osimhen, which could help them make a deep run in the competition.
With four consecutive wins, including a 3-1 triumph over Fenerbahce, Galatasaray will undoubtedly be full of confidence as they prepare for their league phase opener against PAOK.
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Their Greek opponents are unlikely to be a pushover, however, as they head into this game with just one defeat in their last 16 competitive outings across all competitions.
That defeat came in a particularly crushing manner for Razvan Lucescu's side, as they lost 4-3 in extra time during their Champions League third-round qualifying tie against Malmo.
PAOK led the match 3-2 in the final minutes before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser that sent the tie to extra time, where they then gave up a 99th-minute winner, resulting in a 6-5 aggregate loss that relegated them to the Europa League qualifying rounds.
Like Wednesday's hosts, PAOK have impressively bounced back from that last devastating defeat, winning six of their next seven fixtures, including a 6-0 aggregate victory over Shamrock Rovers to qualify for this competition.
PAOK will now aim to start their league phase on a high note as they attempt to reach the knockout rounds of the Europa League for the first time since 2016-17, when they were defeated 4-1 by Schalke 04 in the round of 32.
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Team News
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Galatasaray will be without their first-choice goalkeeper for the opening games of the Europa League league phase after Fernando Muslera received a straight red card in the 87th minute of their 1-0 second-leg defeat to Young Boys in the Champions League playoff round.
Thirty-three-year-old Gunay Guvenc was brought on in Muslera's place for the final minutes of that game, and the veteran goalkeeper is expected to start between the sticks on Wednesday.
Osimhen is still in search of his first goal in a Galatasaray shirt, though he has assisted in each of his two appearances, and the world-class striker is anticipated to start here.
A similar team to the one that started in their 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce is expected to be named in this one, with Gabriel Sara partnering Lucas Torreira at the base of midfield and Dries Mertens playing in a more advanced role.
As for PAOK, they are likely to be without three players due to various injury concerns, with Andrija Zivkovic (hip), Antonis Tsiftsis (stomach), and Brandon (ankle) all expected to be sidelined.
Elsewhere, a comparable lineup to the one that cruised to a 4-1 victory over Volos at the weekend could start here, with top-scorer Stefan Schwab partnering Mady Camara in midfield.
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Guvenc; Ayhan, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Yilmaz, Mertens, Akgun; Osimhen
PAOK possible starting lineup:
Kotarski; Sastre, Colley, Kedziora, Baba; Camara, Schwab; Despodov, Murg, Taison; Tissoudali
We say: Galatasaray 3-1 PAOK
Both sides come into this game in excellent form, but Galatasaray are formidable when playing at home, and we expect that advantage to help them secure all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
