Swiss Concerns Before Galatasaray vs. Young Boys: Defensive Woes and Galatasaray’s Edge

Swiss Worries Ahead of Galatasaray vs. Young Boys Match: They Have the Worst Defense in the League | Favorites for the Tie…

Galatasaray will face Switzerland’s Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League play-off round away today. After winning their first two matches in the Süper Lig and making a strong start to the season, the yellow-reds are focused on victory to maintain their momentum. Ahead of the tough away game, our Swiss colleagues made exclusive statements to Spor Arena, revealing which team they believe has the upper hand.

Galatasaray, who were eliminated in the group stage of last season’s Champions League, will face Young Boys today at the Wankdorf Stadium in the first leg of the play-off round. The yellow-reds, who do not want to complicate the tie by returning from the away leg with an unfavorable result, have completed their preparations under the leadership of coach Okan Buruk. Swiss journalists shared their thoughts on the strengths and advantages of both teams ahead of the big match.

HERE ARE THE STATEMENTS OF SWISS JOURNALISTS BEFORE THE MATCH:

RONJA ZELLER (BLUE SPORT):

“GALATASARAY MUST BE CAREFUL AGAINST CONGOLESE STRIKER ELIA”

Young Boys had a poor start to the season. In the first 5 matches, they couldn’t replicate last season’s performance. The reasons for this are likely changes in the team’s structure, as well as a change in the head coach. Injuries also caused problems within the club at the beginning of the season. The team hasn’t found a harmonious flow yet. However, the morale within the squad will certainly be better. Additionally, the Champions League is a competition where every player is twice as motivated. If there’s one player who can shine in the Champions League, it’s Meschack Elia. The Congolese forward had a particularly strong performance in the Champions League last season, even scoring a goal against Manchester City. Galatasaray must be careful against this short and agile striker.

“MAURO ICARDI IS GALATASARAY’S MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE IN ATTACK”
Galatasaray is a big name when it comes to Turkish football. It’s also a club where well-known players play. After the play-off draw, the Swiss media agreed that Galatasaray was the toughest opponent Young Boys could have drawn. From a Swiss perspective, the most charismatic player is definitely Mauro Icardi. He is the most important figure in Galatasaray’s attack and almost always delivers. However, Young Boys must also be cautious of Barış Alper Yılmaz. With his physique and speed, Barış Alper will definitely keep the Young Boys defense busy.

“THE VICTORY AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED IN 2021 IS UNFORGETTABLE”
Galatasaray clearly has the advantage. Young Boys shouldn’t fool themselves about this. However, Young Boys play their matches on artificial turf. Many teams that are not used to this surface struggle, especially in the early minutes. Moreover, in recent years, Young Boys have shown that magical nights are always possible in Bern. The victory against Manchester United in 2021, where Cristiano Ronaldo also played, is unforgettable.

VALENTIN SCHNORHK (LE MATIN):

“YOUNG BOYS HAVE THE WORST DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE”
Young Boys are going through tough times. The start of the season has been complicated in terms of results. The atmosphere within the team isn’t good. This was already the case at the end of last season. The profile of the new coach, Patrick Rahmen, doesn’t really match the identity of Young Boys. The club recently brought back assistant coach Matteo Vanetta, who had previously worked with the team. Despite this change, they haven’t played convincing football defensively. Young Boys currently have the worst defense in the league. They are not strong in this area.

“FILIP UGRINIC HAS A BIG IMPACT WITH AND WITHOUT THE BALL”
Forward Meschack Elia performs very well when he’s in the mood. He’s a very fast player who can make a difference when he finds space. However, he hasn’t started the season well and wants to leave. Filip Ugrinic is the playmaker for Young Boys. He can shoot effectively from long distances. He has a big impact on the game, both with and without the ball.

“I KNOW GALATASARAY’S REPUTATION”
I know Galatasaray’s reputation and most of their players. It’s going to be really tough for Young Boys. Players like Ziyech, Zaha, Icardi, and Mertens may be a bit older, but they’ve had outstanding careers. We also know how dangerous they can be. We’re familiar with Berkan Kutlu, who grew up in Sion, Switzerland, and started his career here. It’s impressive to see how much he’s developed in recent years.

BASTIEN FELLER (BLICK):

“YOUNG BOYS’ PERFORMANCE IS DISAPPOINTING”
Young Boys’ performance may be disappointing, but this isn’t surprising to us. The team has really been struggling with issues for a few months now. This is particularly due to several players wanting to leave the club and transfer moves that ultimately failed. Additionally, a coach with a different style of play was brought in this summer. Filip Ugrinic is really the driving force behind this team. His absence in the second half of last season was a huge issue for Young Boys, who came very close to missing out on the championship. Meschack Elia has always been successful on the European stage. He often delivers excellent performances, as he did last season against Manchester City. Elia’s speed can unlock defenses.

“IN MY OPINION, GALATASARAY HAS THE EDGE IN BOTH MATCHES”
Everyone knows Galatasaray. It’s a big club with a rich history. It has significant resources that allow it to attract players with interesting qualities. That’s why it’s not surprising to see Galatasaray on the European stage almost every year, even though I still think they lack consistency. They can deliver dazzling performances, like they did against Manchester United, but they can also disappoint, like they did against Sparta Prague. In my opinion, Galatasaray has the edge in both matches. They have players with superior individual qualities in every position. For example, Young Boys don’t have a forward with the experience of Mauro Icardi or a midfielder with the quality of Lucas Torreira. Young Boys shouldn’t have matched up against this team.