At 3:00 AM on August 22nd, Swiss side Young Boys will host Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray in the first leg of the 2024/25 Champions League qualifying round. As the reigning champions of the Swiss Super League, Young Boys have had a disastrous start to the new season. With 2 draws and 3 losses in 5 matches, they have failed to display any signs of their title-winning form and have instead become an easy target for opponents, currently sitting at the bottom of the table in second to last place. Galatasaray, on the other hand, has performed as expected, winning both of their opening two matches 2-1, placing them second in the table.
So far this summer, Young Boys have spent €1,650,000, with their only signing being 24-year-old right winger Kore, who joined from Atalanta for €1,650,000. In addition, they have signed Conti from French Ligue 2 side Bastia on a free transfer and loaned in three players from Augsburg, Lille, and other teams to bolster their squad. Their transfer market activity has been rather subdued, but their performance thus far in the new season has been truly disappointing. They have scored just six goals and conceded 13 in their first five matches. In stark contrast, this time last year, Young Boys had achieved three wins and two draws. Their league form has plummeted, and now facing a Champions League veteran like Galatasaray, they find themselves in a tough spot.
Galatasaray’s transfer market spending has remained consistent. With a total outlay of €27,000,000, they have brought in midfielder Sara from Norwich for €18,000,000, Jelert from Copenhagen for €9,000,000, and signed Ziyech and Basahiayi on free transfers. They also sold Tate to Panathinaikos for €7,250,000. With these incomings and outgoings, Galatasaray’s squad strength has improved somewhat. In their opening two league matches, striker Icardi has scored two goals and provided one assist, while two other attacking players, Irfan Can Kahveci and Aktuğra, have both found the back of the net once.
Young Boys have featured in the Champions League main draw on three previous occasions: 2023/24, 2021/22, and 2018/19. Given their current form, they might be relegated to the relegation zone if they don’t turn things around quickly. Galatasaray’s most successful Champions League moments came in the 2012/13 and 2000/01 seasons, when they reached the quarterfinals but were eliminated by Real Madrid. Last season, they failed to make it out of a group featuring Manchester United, Copenhagen, and Bayern Munich.
The two teams have never met before in history. However, Young Boys have faced Fenerbahçe twice, resulting in one win and one draw. Galatasaray, on the other hand, has faced Swiss teams 17 times, boasting a record of 11 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses, demonstrating a certain degree of confidence against their opponents.
Young Boys’ recent resurgence wasn’t built on the back of one or two standout players, but rather on a collective effort with goals coming from multiple sources. Gakpo, Elia, Nsame, and Monteiro have all contributed significantly in attack. For Galatasaray, the attacking burden has largely fallen on the shoulders of Argentine Icardi, with Zaha and Aktuğra occasionally making a difference out wide. However, Galatasaray is facing some injury issues, with Sanchez joining the injured list on August 9th. Aktuğra also suffered from food poisoning recently, which might affect his performance in the upcoming Champions League qualifiers.
Young Boys have been struggling in the league, going five games without a win at the start of the season, their form has been far from convincing. Galatasaray, despite winning their opening two matches, haven’t yet reached their peak form. Although they appear to be superior on paper, their away game will be a tough test for the Turkish side.
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