Young Boys v Galatasaray: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Galatasaray beat Manchester United and pushed Bayern Munich twice but still failed to qualify for the knockout stages of last season's UEFA Champions League.

That meant their subsequent UEFA Europa League play-off round defeat to Sparta Prague came as a significant surprise, but they should be able to avoid a similar upset against Swiss outfit Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League play-off round.

The Swiss champions are also making their seasonal debut in Europe's top club competition. They also fell in last term's group stages before losing to Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Europa League play-offs.

They have struggled so far in the Swiss Super League, currently sitting second bottom after collecting just two points from their five games and could be in trouble against a Gala side who have made a perfect start to their campaign.

Young Boys v Galatasaray betting tips and predictions

Galatasaray to win and both teams to score - 13/5

Young Boys won the Swiss league last season but it came amidst chaos, with head coach Raphael Wicky being sacked in March following a poor run of results and caretaker Joel Magnin guiding them to the title.

Former Basel boss Patrick Rahmen took over this summer but is already under pressure after failing to win his first five league games before Saturday's 10-0 cup victory at fifth-tier Printse-Nendaz.

Galatasaray lost the domestic Super Cup 5-0 to Besiktas but recovered to win both of their league games 2-1, defeating Hatayspor before triumphing at Konyaspor on Friday.

Okan Buruk has won the title in both of his seasons in charge but may have more to think about with Jose Mourinho taking over at bitter rivals Fenerbahce. He will also have ambitions to take his team into the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2013/14 when they fell to Mourinho's Chelsea in the last 16.

Goals have been a factor in all of their games this season, while prior to that 10-0 victory, Young Boys' last four league games had all seen exactly four.

Over 3.5 goals on Wednesday is a handy 13/8, and an away win and both teams to score looks the right way to go.

Mauro Icardi anytime goalscorer - 5/4

A scroll through Galatsaray's squad presents a mental stroll down memory lane, with several stars of yesteryear currently featuring for the Yellow-Reds.

Among them is former Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi, who netted six UEFA Champions League goals last season, including away strikes against United and Bayern.

The club's attacking riches allow Buruk to rotate, but Icardi is a mainstay and netted a penalty in his team's opening Super Lig win over Hatayspor.

Now 31, the Argentinean has been an almost omnipotent presence in European football for over a decade but has never truly fulfilled his potential.

However, his combined 55 goals over two seasons suggests he feels at home in Istanbul and after netting three times in the preliminary stages of the 2023/24 competition, he could repay the faith shown in him by scoring again in Switzerland.

Lucas Torreira to be booked - 13/5

Gala also have a collection of familiar midfielders, including former Arsenal man Lucas Torreira.

Never one to shy away from a tackle, the 28-year-old received a straight red against Olimpija Ljubljana in last season's qualifiers but has done well to avoid a caution in the current campaign.

That could change on Wednesday, and considering he always seems to start when fit, he is worth a look in the caution markets.

His engine room battle with Cheikh Niasse and Sandro Lauper promises to be feisty, and the Uruguayan could easily attract referee Daniel Siebert's attention.

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Young Boys v Galatasaray odds

Young Boys - 3/1
Draw - 27/10
Galatasaray - 5/6

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.