Galatasaray vs Sparta Prague prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-02-14 17:45.
Galatasaray meet Sparta Prague for the first time since 1997, with the Turkish giants transferring into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group. They’ve been handed a tricky-looking tie in this knockout round play-off, but they’ll be confident of getting off to a solid start on home turf, where they’ve lost just two of their last 12 European games (W6, D4).
Across all competitions of late, their form at RAMS Park has been nothing short of sensational, with 11 wins from their last 12 games there (D1). You’d have to fancy them to be free-scoring too, as all but one of those matches saw Gala score at least twice, just as they did in their 2-0 win at the weekend against İstanbul Başakşehir, a result which means they still haven’t tasted defeat yet in any competition in 2024 (W9, D1).
Sparta perhaps pose the biggest threat yet to that run, as they too have a long winning run under their belt in competitive action (W8). They picked up exactly where they left off in 2023 in their first competitive game of 2024 when they dispatched MFK Karviná 3-0 at the weekend – a result which stretched their advantage at the top of the Czech First League table.
They were unable to top their Europa League group though, and they can perhaps look back at their dire away form as a reason why. Despite winning their last away group game 3-1 against Aris Limassol, it was the Czech club’s only European away win in 13 attempts (D2, L10), and given they have a similarly poor record away to Turkish clubs in European competition (W1, D1, L5), there appears little hope of changing that here.
Players to watch: Dries Mertens was on the scoresheet in the first half for Galatasaray at the weekend, but four of his last five Europa League goals came after the break. Sparta’s Jan Kuchta was also on target over the weekend, and he’s netted the game’s first or last goal on his last nine scoring club appearances.
Hot stat: Eleven of Galatasaray’s last 13 home games in the Europa League (inc qualifiers) saw both teams score.