Manchester City vs Galatasaray
Manchester City are planning to return to the Top 8 of the Champions League table when they host Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium for the final league phase game on Wednesday evening. It has been a busy week for Pep Guardiola’s men, as this will be their third match in eight days.
Following their recent losses against Manchester United (2-0) in the Premier League and Bodo/Glimt (3-1) in their previous Champions League match, the Sky Blues returned to winning ways via a 2-0 result over Wolves last Saturday. If only they had taken care of business against Bodo/Glimt, Manchester City wouldn’t have dropped to 11th place in the Champions League standings.
On the other hand, Galatasaray are likely to stay between 9th and 24th in the Champions League standings. Okan Buruk’s side have 10 points, good for 17th place. The defending Turkish champions are fresh from a 3-1 victory over bottom feeders Fatih Karagumruk in the Super Lig.
Talking Points
Manchester City will likely recall Haaland to the starting XI
Manchester City badly needed the win over Wolves, as it gave them a huge boost in confidence ahead of Wednesday’s match against Galatasaray. And what made the victory memorable was the fact that head coach Pep Guardiola successfully rotated his squad.
Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Jeremy Doku came off the bench against Wolves, so they should have fresher legs against Galatasaray. With the trio on the bench, Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo took care of the scoring, registering one goal apiece to put the match away before the halftime break. Former Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi also logged his first start in a Sky Blues uniform, relegating Nathan Ake and Max Alleyne to the bench.
However, Semenyo and Guehi are not eligible to play for Manchester City. As the team’s winter signings, they cannot be added to their Champions League squad until the knockout stages. They will join the injured John Stones, Ruben Dias, Mateo Kovacic, Savinho, and Josko Gvardiol on the sidelines.
Oscar Bobb remains unavailable after Guardiola revealed he was pushing to leave the Etihad this month, while Nico Gonzalez pushes for a return from his injury. Rodri will miss this game after he received his marching orders against Bodo/Glimt.
Osimhen reaches huge Galatasaray milestone
Besides seeing familiar faces in Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane on Wednesday, Manchester City will also have their eyes on Victor Osimhen, who continues to make history with Galatasaray. The Nigerian striker was on the scoresheet last Saturday against Fatih Karagumruk, bringing his tally to 50 goals in the iconic red and yellow uniform across 59 matches played.
Osimhen has scored six times in five Champions League matches this season, and he’s expected to lead the line ahead of Baris Alper Yilmaz, Gundogan, and Yunus Akgun, with Mauro Icardi as the backup. Meanwhile, Gala will be without Enes Buyuk, Wilfried Singo, Gabriel Sara, Arda Unyay, and Metehan Baltaci due to injuries and suspension.
History
Wednesday marks the first-ever meeting between Manchester City and Galatasaray. The last time the Sky Blues faced a Turkish Super Lig squad was against Fenerbahce in the first round of the 1968-69 European Cup, where the latter won 2-1 on aggregate, despite a goalless draw in the first leg. Ajax subsequently eliminated Fenerbahce in the second round (4-0 aggregate) before losing to AC Milan in the final (4-1).
These two sides only have one Champions League trophy between them, with Manchester City winning their first in 2023. However, Galatasaray have won the UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League) and won the subsequent UEFA Super Cup in 2000.
Betting Tip
The Champions League 2026 odds fancy Manchester City’s chances to sneak into the Top 8 on Wednesday. Despite missing several key players, the Sky Blues are 1.20 favourites to win, whereas Galatasaray are huge 9.00 underdogs, and a draw is at 6.30 in the 1X2 market.
Defence could be optional in this contest, as the fans at the Etihad Stadium will likely get their fair share of Champions League 2026 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters can also add Over 3.50 at 1.83, Over 3.75 at 2.03, Over 4.00 at 2.29, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.11.
Meanwhile, any result that leads to Gala getting at least one point could yield a generous payday. For instance, A 1-1 draw is on offer for 14.50, while a win for the Turkish Super Lig side is on offer for at least 34.00.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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