Matchday 5 of the 2024/25 Europa League group stage between AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) and Galatasaray (Turkey) will take place on November 28 at the AFAS Stadium. AZ Alkmaar vs. Galatasaray: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Predicted lineups for AZ Alkmaar vs. Galatasaray
AZ Alkmaar (4-3-3): Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro – Seiya Maikuma, Alexandre Penetra, Maxim Dekker, Mis de Wit – Dave Kwakman, Sven Mijnans, Peer Koopmeiners – Myron Lahdo, Troy Parrott, Jayden Addai.
Galatasaray (3-4-3): Fernando Muslera – Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Davinson Sánchez, Kaan Ayhan – Yunus Akgün, Gabriel Sara, Lucas Torreira, Barış Yılmaz – Dries Mertens, Victor Osimhen, Mauro Icardi.
Each team's starting lineup from their previous match in this tournament is listed.
AZ Alkmaar
After two consecutive goalless defeats in the Europa League, AZ Alkmaar triumphed over Fenerbahçe with a 3-1 victory in the last round. This win was the second for AZ Alkmaar in the group stage (2 defeats) and helped them climb from 24th to 17th in the standings. However, the Dutch club was unable to keep a clean sheet in the second-tier European competition, conceding goals in eight consecutive matches. Additionally, the team has a goal difference of 6:6 in the main stage of the current tournament.
- The club's uncompromising streak in the Europa League consists of 7 matches (3 wins, 4 losses).
- AZ Alkmaar has not lost at home in this tournament for 14 matches, winning half of them.
- Both teams scored in 7 of the last 8 home matches for the team in the Europa League.
Galatasaray
The Istanbul side remains unbeaten in the group stage of the Europa League (3 wins, 1 draw), having defeated Tottenham 3-2 in the previous match, securing their second consecutive victory in this tournament. Notably, Galatasaray is among the eight clubs that have not yet lost in the main stage of the current Europa League season. Additionally, Okan Buruk's team is the second-highest-scoring team in the group stage with 12 goals, only behind Ajax (13). In the second-tier European competition standings, the Turkish club is in 3rd place, trailing the leader by 2 points.
- The team has scored at least twice in all matches of the main stage of the current Europa League campaign.
- Both teams have exchanged goals in Galatasaray's last 7 matches in the second-tier European competition.
- On the road, the club has failed to win 6 of their last 7 matches in the Europa League (5 draws, 1 loss).
AZ Alkmaar vs. Galatasaray: Match Prediction
The hosts will once again welcome guests from Turkey. The previous match against a representative from this country – Fenerbahçe – was successful for AZ Alkmaar, earning them 3 points. However, it should be noted that the match was evenly contested, and the Dutch team was slightly luckier. I don't think the upcoming match will be any easier for the Dutch club. On the contrary, I believe the unbeaten Galatasaray in the group stage is capable of posing more challenges for the hosts than Fenerbahçe.
On the other hand, the Turks have also struggled in away matches of the second-tier European tournament, securing victory in only 1 of their last 7 matches. Therefore, I will not delve into the outcome of the upcoming match, but rather consider a position with the total as a betting option. Both teams play an attacking style and succeed with goals scored, but they rarely keep their own goals "dry." In the main stage of the current Europa League campaign, neither AZ Alkmaar nor Galatasaray has managed to play a clean sheet. Moreover, the hosts have conceded in eight consecutive Europa League matches, while the visitors have retrieved the ball from their net in their last seven matches of the tournament.
I believe that this time, the upcoming opponents will not leave the field without conceding, considering the goal-scoring potential of both teams. Therefore, my prediction: Both teams to score – yes
