Sparta Praha vs Galatasaray prediction, odds & betting tips – 22/02/2024

A five-goal thriller took place in Turkey last Thursday which also included two payers being sent off, one for both sides. A stoppage-time penalty handed Galatasaray a vital home victory which sees them in a more comfortable position.

Sparta Praha vs Galatasaray prediction: Blockbuster action expected in close affair

This was the tie of the round last Thursday with five goals, two red cards and a second-half stoppage time-winning penalty. Sparta Praha know they must overcome a one-goal deficit if they wish to cause an upset and advance past the qualifying stages and dump out Galatasaray.

Pre-game odds and win probability: Sparta Praha ever so slight favourites

Home: 6/4 (2.5) – 40%

Draw: 5/2 (3.5) – 28.6%

Away: 13/8 (2.63) – 38.1%

*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change

After failing to beat Sparta Praha in three consecutive games, Galatasaray have now won the last two scoring a combined total of five goals. It's also a very impressive run Galatasaray find themselves on having won 10 in a row whereas their opponents have lost just once in their last 10 games and that one defeat was of course, against this week's opposition.

Last five H2Hs: Galatasaray hold the edge

Going back years in history, there has always been a lot of goals in this fixture and that was proven correct by the most recent one in the modern day. There is little expectation of either side keeping a clean sheet, so scoring and killing off the opposition.

Team news and form guide

Sparta Praha: Home advantage mustn't be wasted

The only side to have stopped Sparta Praha from winning since the beginning of November was Galatasaray, so there could now be a mental block in some players' minds.

Predicted lineup: Vindahl (GK) – Panak, Krejci, Vydra – Pesek, Solbakken, Sadilek, Wiesner – Haraslin, Olatunji, Birmancevic

Galatasaray: Turkish giants looking to flex their attacking muscles

Galatasaray are in imperious form and look simply unstoppable right now having won 10 in a row and no side has been able to keep their frightening attacking options quiet.

Predicted lineup: Muslera (GK) – Kohn, Nelsson, Sanchez, Yilmaz – Kutlu, Demirbay – Zaha, Mertens, Tete – Icardi

Our free expert picks: 2-1 Galatasaray and Mauro Icardi to find the back of the net

This game is going to be one with a lot of excitement, which may not be great for picking an outright winner, but we have other free betting tips to check out.

You may be more tempted to back another goal-fest with Galatasaray winning and over 2.5 goals which would offer 13/5 (3.6) and a probability figure of 27.8% which is very tempting. Elsewhere, backing the home side to win and both teams scoring offers attractive odds of 1/2 (1.5 – 66.7%) and after how the previous fixture played out, this looks like a certainty to land.

Hot tip – Over 2.5 goals

• There were five goals in the reverse fixture
• Both sides have scored in all but five matches this season

Other tips

Sparta Praha 1-2 Galatasaray

• Galatasaray have won 10 games in a row
• The Turkish side are the only team to beat Sparta Praha since November

Mauro Icardi to score anytime

• Mauro Icardi was involved in three goals during this reverse game
• Icardi has 20 goals across all competitions this season

Player to watch – Mauro Icardi

Icardi looks to have found a goal in Turkey thriving in the league and any European competition. The Argentina striker scored two goals in the Champions League group stages and registered one strike and two assists last week against Sparta Praha.

Icardi to return the favour of a goal?

Galatasaray's lethal striker has had five games this season in which he's scored and laid on an assist for a teammate in the same match. So, he may well repeat this feta as Sparta Praha look to make home advantage count.

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