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Galatasaray 100% at home
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Molde have lost both away qualifiers in UCL
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Galatasaray v Molde
Tuesday 29 August, 20:00
Live on TNT Sports
We got the aggro we needed in Portugal last night, as there were cards aplenty, but Porto slipped up against Rio Ave and striker Toni Martinez got the hook barely an hour into the game. A tough start to the week.
We'll head to Turkey in search of salvation, because Turkish champions Galatasaray are up against their Norwegian counterparts Molde. The Istanbul club are defending a 3-2 first-leg lead, secured in dramatic fashion last week with a stoppage-time winner from Norwegian (how ironic) Fredrik Midtsjo.
Gala have made a number of exciting signings in recent transfer windows, and both Sergio Oliveira and Mauro Icardi were on the scoresheet in the first leg. They have won all three of their competitive home games this term without conceding a goal, and in the league they have claimed four points from their first two matches. Stretching back into last season, Galatasaray have won nine of their last 12 home matches in all competitions.
Molde are well behind the likes of Bodo Glimt and Viking in the Norwegian title race, and they barely scraped past Faroese champions KI in the previous round. They have lost both of their away qualifiers in the Champions League, and they are in poor form in general, with just three wins from the last eight games in all competitions.
I'm happy to back Galatasaray -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.0811/10. Molde have to push for a way back into the tie, and Galatasaray have the quality to do serious damage on the counter-attack. The return of Lucas Torreira really boosts the midfield, and Icardi looks really sharp. Wilfried Zaha missed the first leg with a foot injury, but the arrival of Hakim Ziyech on loan gives coach Okan Buruk another quality option out wide.