Galatasaray and Benfica will meet at the Turk Telecom Stadi on Thursday night in the Europa League. Both clubs started the European season in the Champions League. However, neither could progress past the group stage and fell into the Europa League knockout round.
Benfica finished third in a Champions League group including Bayern Munich and Ajax. Meanwhile, Galatasaray disappointingly finished third behind Porto and Schalke.
Both teams should feel good about their chances of making the final this season. A team that started the season in the Champions League has reached the Europa League Final in 10 of the last 11 seasons. Benfica did it in back to back years making the final in 2013 and 2014. However, the Portuguese giants lost the final on both occasions.
Galatasaray are second in the Turkish top-flight and six points behind Istanbul Basaksehir. The team has gone seven games without a loss, last tasting defeat in early December. Galatasaray rely heavily on striker Eren Derdiyok who has scored 10 goals in 18 games in all competitions. Derdiyok was expected to leave Galatasaray in January, but a move to a different club did not materialise.
Benfica will be a difficult match-up for Galatasaray. While Galatasaray managed just four points from their Champions League group stage matches against a weak group, Benfica tallied seven against tougher opposition. The Portuguese team started their European campaign in early August as they had to go through the Champions League third qualifying round and the playoff round. Benfica defeated Turkey’s Fenerbahce and Greece’s PAOK to get to the group stage.
Striker Haris Seferovic leads Benfica in goals with 13 in the Portuguese league. Despite his great domestic record, Serferovic only scored once in the Champions League group stage. Benfica attacking midfielder Pizzi has tallied 12 assists to go along with eight goals. The Portuguese playmaker will look for Seferovic as the pair attempt to break down Galatasaray’s defence.
These two teams have met twice in the 2015-16 Champions League. The home team won each game and both matches ended in 2-1 scorelines. Galatasaray scored just five goals while shipping eight in the Champions League group stage. Benfica tallied six strikes while conceding 11.
Neither club scored many goals against European competition. Thursday night’s fixture will see the two play out a nil-nil draw with neither team able to break down the opposing defence. Although Galatasaray and Benfica are in good form on the domestic front, neither will be able to take the advantage in their Europa League first leg match.