Champions League: Galatasaray are Turkish Delight for Bayern Munich

Galatasaray vs Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are poised to take a huge step towards the knockout phase, as they’re set to take on Galatasaray in Istanbul, Turkey, tomorrow for the third matchday of the Champions League group stage.

Thomas Tuchel’s side is currently on top of Group A with six points after taking care of business against Manchester United and Copenhagen, and it feels like it’s just a matter of time before they run away with the top spot.

However, Gala are not to be underestimated, as shown in their initial Champions League 2023 results.

Prior to the tournament, Okan Buruk’s men were expected to be relegated to the Europa League, but they’re in second place with a respectable tally of four points, and they now have one foot in the knockout phase.

Talking Points

Bayern’s loaded frontline compensates for their handicapped backline

With six goals already, Bayern Munich are level with the likes of Manchester City and Barcelona for having the most potent attack so far in this tournament.

Five different players have scored for Thomas Tuchel in this competition, with Mathys Tel leading the way with two, while Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane, and Jamal Musiala have scored one each.

And given their form in October, there’s no reason to believe that they won’t be able to produce more, having scored six goals while conceding only once in their last two Bundesliga matches against Mainz and SC Freiburg.

Overall, nine different players have scored for the Bavarian giants this season across all competitions.

Prized summer acquisition Harry Kane is leading the way with 10 goals and five assists, forming a robust link-up with Leroy Sane, who has totals of seven goals and one assist.

Mathys Tel is relishing his super-sub role with five goals and one assist, while Kingsley Coman and Leon Goretzka have accounted for five goals and two assists combined.

Since Bayern Munich’s backline is compromised, with the likes of Dayot Upamecano (hamstring), Noussair Mazraoui (muscle), Manuel Neuer (leg), and Raphael Guerreiro (hip) sidelined, Tuchel’s boys will simply outgun their hosts to be one step closer to the next round.

Galatasaray won’t have their top scorer

With Mauro Icardi reportedly set for a spell on the sidelines, Gala cannot afford to engage in a goalfest against Bayern Munich.

Icardi has been a huge boon for the Turkish Super Lig contenders since he joined them for only €10 million this summer. The former PSG man has quickly established himself as a fan favourite because he leads the team in scoring with eight goals.

The Argentine international scored a brace against Besiktas last time out to give his team a 2-1 victory, but he injured his ankle along the way, which is a major blow for Galatasaray.

With Icardi unavailable, Okan Buruk would need to draw out production from the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Kerem Akturkoglu.

History

Tuesday marks the first meeting between Galatasaray and Bayern Munich since the 1972-73 edition of the European Cup, where the latter advanced to the second round via an aggregate tally of 7-1.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg held in Istanbul, Turkey, the Bavarians lowered the boom on Gala, crushing them 6-0 in the return leg in Munich.

Galatasaray have never won a single Champions League home match against German opposition (D3, L2), while Bayern Munich have won their last five encounters with Turkish sides by a whopping aggregate score of 18-1.

Bayern Munich’s last such games were their two legs against Besiktas in the 2017-18 Champions League Round of 16, where they pummeled them 5-0 at home and 3-1 away.

Should they somehow win tomorrow, Galatasaray could record back-to-back Champions League victories for the first time since 2012 (W3).

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are undefeated in their last 18 away Champions League group stage contests (W16, D2).

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Champions League 2023 odds favour Bayern Munich to extend their winning streak in the group stage, as they’re at 1.40 odds to win, while Gala are the underdogs at 5.40, and a draw is installed at 4.90 in the 1X2 market.

We’d like to think that Galatasaray can put up a fight because of their fantastic form in the Turkish Super Lig, but we’re not sure how that will translate against the Bavarian giants.

Furthermore, their history tells us that we might be in for a goalfest tomorrow, so why not go for alternatives such as Total Goal 2-3 at 2.21, 4-6 at 2.32, or even Over 3.50 at 2.14?

 

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