Preview: Galatasaray vs PAOK – Prediction, team news, lineups

Both want to start the league phase with the maximum number of points. Galatasaray And PAOK will meet at Adams Park on Wednesday for the first matchday of the 2024-25 season. European League.

The hosts have slipped in this competition after being eliminated in the Champions League play-off qualifying round, while the visitors qualified with a 6-0 aggregate win in the Europa League play-off round.

Game Preview

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After securing two consecutive Turkish Süper Lig titles and making history as the first Turkish team to reach the 100-point mark (last year with 102), Galatasaray is determined to achieve further success this season.

Okan BurukThe Istanbul side's attempt to make an ideal start to the 2024-25 season failed when they suffered a disheartening 5-0 defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Cup on the opening day of the season.

However, Galatasaray have recovered fantastically, winning all of their first six league games and now have a five-point lead at the top of the table.

Unfortunately for Buruk, the club failed to replicate its domestic form in the Champions League play-off qualifier against Young Boys, losing a disappointing 2-4 on aggregate, which saw the club relegated to Europe's second division.

The elimination could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Lions, as Galatasaray can boast a star squad, including the unexpected signing of Victor Osimhenwhich could help them go far in the competition.

After four consecutive wins, including a 3-1 triumph over Fenerbahce, Galatasaray are undoubtedly full of confidence as they prepare for their opening match of the league phase against PAOK.

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Their Greek opponents, however, are unlikely to be an easy task as they go into this game having lost just one of their last 16 competitive matches in all competitions.

This defeat was particularly devastating for Razvan Lucescu's team lost their match in the third round of Champions League qualification against Malmö 3:4 in extra time.

PAOK led 3-2 in the final minutes, but conceded an equaliser in injury time and had to go into extra time, where they conceded the winner in the 99th minute. The result was a 6-5 aggregate defeat, which relegated them to the Europa League qualifying round.

Like their hosts on Wednesday, PAOK have recovered impressively from that last devastating defeat, winning six of their next seven games, including a 6-0 aggregate victory over Shamrock Rovers that saw them qualify for this competition.

PAOK now wants to start the league phase with a good feeling and reach the knockout stages of the Europa League for the first time since 2016/17, when they lost 4-1 to Schalke 04 in the round of 32.

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

PAOK Europa League form:

PAOK form (all competitions):

Team News

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Galatasaray will have to do without its regular goalkeeper in the opening matches of the Europa League after Fernando Muslera received a red card in the 87th minute of the 0-1 defeat in the second leg against Young Boys in the Champions League play-off round.

Thirty-three years old Gunay Güvenc came on as a substitute for Muslera for the final minutes of the game and the experienced goalkeeper is expected to start on Wednesday.

Osimhen is still waiting for his first goal for Galatasaray despite providing an assist in each of his two appearances. The world-class striker is expected to start here.

It is expected that a similar team will be used in this match as in the 3-1 win against Fenerbahce. Gabriel Sara Partnerships Lucas Torreira at the base of the midfield and Dries Mertens play a more advanced role.

PAOK will probably be without three players due to several injuries. Andrija Zivkovic (Hip), Antonis Tsiftsis (stomach) and Brandon (ankles) are all expected to be out.

Elsewhere, a similar team could compete to the one that beat Volos 4-1 at the weekend, with the top scorer Stefan Schwab Partnerships Mady Camara in midfield.

Possible starting eleven for Galatasaray:
Guvenc; Ayhan, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Yilmaz, Mertens, Akgun; Osimhen

Possible starting lineup of PAOK:
Kotarski; Sastre, Colley, Kedziora, Baba; Camara, Schwab; Despodov, Murg, Taison; Tissoudali

We think: Galatasaray 3-1 PAOK

Both teams come into this game in excellent form, but Galatasaray are strong at home and we expect this advantage to help them secure all three points.

Click here to see a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match.

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