AZ Alkmaar v Galatasaray Betting Tips [13 February 2025]

The AFAS Stadium in Alkmaar will host the Europa League playoff tie pitting hosts AZ against Turkish giants Galatasaray. This Thursday night game will make up the first leg of the tie, AZ having finished the league phase in 19th spot and Galatasaray in 14th. Read on for our prediction of the match.

AZ have been on a fine run, and come into this game with three straight wins. The latest of them was a 2-0 victory at home to PEC Zwolle.

In this match they will be banking on home form again, having won eight of the last nine matches there. AZ are also unbeaten in the last 16 home matches.

Galatasaray’s recent matches have been far from perfect. Their weekend match against Adana Demirspor stands suspended after their opponents walked off in protest.

Before then, they had won two straight games, but their last Europa League match ended in a 2-1 loss to another Dutch side, Ajax. That loss marked a sixth straight winless trip to the Netherlands.

Apart from Ajax, they also faced AZ away from home this season, and that ended 1-1. Their loss to Ajax made it seven away matches in Europa League without a win.

The winner in this two-legged tie will earn the ticket to the last 16, to face either Manchester United of Tottenham Hotspur.

AZ have a strong run at home, and the same was witnessed in their Europa League matches at the league phase. They come into this game having only lost twice in their last 35 home matches. They will now hope to overcome their unimpressive run at home in European competitions.

Fortunately for the hosts, Galatasaray have struggled a bit in the road, including in their visits to the Netherlands. In their last six away matches against Dutch teams, Galatasaray are winless. They’ve also been poor on the road in the competition this season. Our prediction for AZ v Galatasaray in for AZ to win.