Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
AZ Alkmaar’s dominant home victory against Galatasaray (4:1) has virtually secured their place in the next round. In Istanbul, the hosts will need a miraculous comeback, while AZ Alkmaar can afford to sit back and defend, even accepting a narrow defeat to go through.
Galatasaray
Since the end of January, Galatasaray have suffered two defeats in the Europa League, both against Dutch teams—the other being a 1:2 loss to Ajax. These were their first defeats since August. In Alkmaar, the Turkish side collapsed after Ayhan Akman’s red card, though they had been competitive in the first half (6-7 in shots). Okan Buruk is expected to start an attacking duo of Victor Osimhen and Dries Mertens—the Nigerian striker was the match-winner with a brace against Rizespor (2:1) on Monday.
AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar had a weekend off from Eredivisie action, meaning they arrive in Istanbul fully rested. However, despite the impressive first-leg victory, their squad is not as strong as Galatasaray’s. Maarten Martens’ vertical 4-3-3 formation leaves gaps in defence, which could be a problem. Since October, AZ Alkmaar have won only 3 of their last 11 away matches, losing 5 times.
Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction
Galatasaray will be aggressive from the start, driven by their home crowd, while AZ Alkmaar’s defensive weaknesses will likely show under pressure. The Turkish side may not complete a full comeback, but they are expected to win on the night.
