Galatasaray vs Barcelona Predictions: Momentum visitor’s side

Our betting expert gives his Predictions for the upcoming Champions League game. Barcelona should leave Istanbul with three points in hand.

Best bets for Galatasaray vs Barcelona

• Totals & BTTS - Over 2.5 goals & BTTS - Yes at odds of @ -227 on BetMGM
• 1x2 & BTTS - Barcelona & Yes at odds of @ -118 on BetMGM
• Player assists 1+ - Lamine Yamal to get at least one assist at odds of @ +114 on BetMGM

All odds are courtesy of US Sportsbooks, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.  

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Two sides with a lot of goals in their feet

After the first matchday, Barcelona are, alongside Bayern Munich, the second-most prolific side in the Champions League with five goals. In La Liga, Flick’s men scored an eye-watering 34 goals in just eight matches, averaging 4.25 goals per game domestically.

Barca’s last 31 UCL matches have produced an average of 4.55 goals per 90. Unfortunately, they haven’t kept a clean sheet across their previous 16 Champions League fixtures. On Galatasaray’s end, none of their last 40 European matches ended goalless.

Seven of Galata’s eight competitive matches this season finished with more than two goals scored. Meanwhile, eight of Barca’s recent nine matches also produced more than two goals. Two of the last three head-to-heads finished with more than two goals, which is what we are aiming for to happen here.

• Galatasaray vs Barcelona Betting Tip 1: Totals & BTTS - Over 2.5 goals & BTTS - Yes at odds of 1.44 on BetMGM

Barca should dominate this fixture

The home side’s recent results raise questions about their ability to challenge the visitors. Buruk’s men have won two and also lost two of their last five home matches, with one friendly ending in a stalemate. Additionally, Galata has won just one of their last 22 matches against Spanish opposition. More so, they are winless in nine since their 2013 home win over Real Madrid.

Barcelona’s current winning run is an impressive one, particularly as they have been very good on the road in this competition. Blaugrana won three of their last six away UCL matches, losing just once in that run. The hosts are winless in their five most recent league-phase UCL fixtures, losing four in that run.

The visitors are also relying on their positive head-to-head record against Galatasaray. Barcelona have won six of the last 10 meetings, losing once back in 1994. With La Liga champions seeing both teams score in four of their recent five outings, they should get over the line, but not without conceding.

• Galatasaray vs Barcelona Betting Tip 2: 1x2 & BTTS - Barcelona & Yes at odds of 1.85 on BetMGM

Yamal is an undeniable talent

Barcelona are the envy of most clubs across Europe, particularly because of their attacking unit. Raphinha has been their main man this season, racking up 14 goals already in seven appearances for the club across all competitions. Unfortunately, he will be sidelined during the trip to Istanbul with a thigh problem sustained during the international break.

For that reason, the goalscoring burden may rest on Lamine Yamal. The youngster has also been impressive this term, scoring seven goals and grabbing five assists in just eight La Liga appearances. He’s on a run of scoring 10 goals and assisting eight in his last 10 matches for both club and country.

Yamal has also scored a dozen Champions League career goals as a teenager, just one short of the record held by Kylian Mbappe. He assisted twice on Matchday 1 against Feyenoord, making him a worthy candidate to either score or set up a goal against Galatasaray.

Our analysis: Form of both teams

Score Prediction: Galatasaray 1-3 BarcelonaGoalscorers Prediction: Galatasaray: Victor Osimhen - Barcelona: Lamine Yamal, Gabriel Jesus, Anthony Gordon

Galatasaray thought they made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign in their opener in Matchday 1 by scoring first against Sporting CP. The Turkish giants took the lead inside five minutes through an own goal from Goncalo Inacio. Unfortunately for them, it was where their luck ended, as the Portuguese side scored three unanswered goals to send Galatasaray home defeated.

Okan Buruk’s men won’t be deterred by an opening loss, as last season’s campaign started in a similar manner. They bounced back with consecutive victories, defeating Liverpool (1-0) and Bodo/Glimt (3-1) at home. Galata made it all the way to the last 16, where Liverpool knocked them out, 4-1 on aggregate. It was their first qualification to the knockout phase since the 2013/14 Champions League, and they are not planning to wait that long again.

Barcelona have made an incredible start to the season, both domestically and in Europe. They’ve recorded nine consecutive wins for the first time since the 1935/36 season. Hansi Flick’s men maintained their 100% record over the weekend, defeating Getafe 3-0, leaving them five points clear at the top of La Liga.

Last season, Blaugrana were knocked out in the Champions League quarter-final, but are hoping to go all the way this time around. With an opening-day 5-1 drubbing of Feyenoord, the Catalan club look like they can’t be stopped. Even the notorious Turkish atmosphere may not be enough to keep Barca at bay.

Probable lineups for Galatasaray vs Barcelona

Galatasaray expected lineup: Cakir, Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs, Torreira, Sara, Sane, Batrakov, Leao, Osimhen

Barcelona expected lineup: J. Garcia, Kounde, E. Garcia, Martin, Cancelo, Olmo, Rodri, Pedri, Yamal, Gordon, Jesus