Into the Lion’s Den: Spurs Brace for Toughest Europa Test Yet in Turkey

Right then, here we go: Tottenham’s next Europa League showdown is one to circle on the calendar. We’re off to Turkey to face Galatasaray, a side who promise to be anything but a walk in the park. It’s happening Thursday at RAMS Park in Istanbul, with kick-off set for the rather odd time of 5:45 pm. And yes, it’ll be live on TNT Sports 1 for those of us unable to make the trip.

Predicted Lineups

For Gala, it’s a strong 4-2-3-1 setup with Muslera back in goal, while their main threat upfront will be Victor Osimhen, a striker you don’t want to ignore.

Spurs, meanwhile, are likely lining up in Ange’s go-to 4-3-3, with Vicario between the sticks. If Romero’s foot doesn’t heal in time, expect Ben Davies to step in at centre-back alongside Dragusin. Maddison and Bissouma will pull the strings in midfield, alongside Johnson and Solanke up top.

The Stakes

So far, we’re three for three in the Europa League, but this is where it starts to get tricky. Galatasaray are two points and three places behind us in the standings, so they’ll have plenty of motivation to close that gap. And while we’ve had a nice run brushing aside the likes of Qarabag, Ferencvaros, and AZ, let’s be honest—Gala are a different beast. Not only have they won six of their last seven at home, but they’re also on an 11-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. This won’t be a simple smash-and-grab job; it’ll be a proper test.

Turkey is famously an intimidating place to play—Gala’s fans are as relentless as they come, and they won’t hesitate to make us feel like unwelcome guests. Plus, our recent away form is a bit, well, patchy. We’ve won only three of our seven road games in all competitions this season, and we’re on a two-game losing streak away from home. If there’s ever been a time to sort that out, it’s now.

But Here’s a Glimmer of Hope…

Galatasaray’s record against English clubs isn’t exactly sparkling. In 23 tries, they’ve only managed to win five times. History’s on our side here—though it’s hardly the most comforting stat when you’re facing that cauldron of noise. But maybe, just maybe, there’s a bit of an edge there.

Team News

For Gala, left-back Ismail Jakobs is out with a knee injury, but they’ll be boosted by the return of Muslera in goal after his suspension. Meanwhile, we’re sweating on Romero’s fitness—without him, we’re looking at Davies stepping in at centre-back, which, let’s face it, has its pros and cons. Djed Spence might also be out with a groin issue, so Ange could have a few headaches with the backline. Expect Maddison, Bissouma, and the young Lucas Bergvall to feature prominently in midfield, while Werner, Johnson, and Solanke give it a go up front.

In summary, we’ll need to be at our absolute best to keep our perfect Europa League record intact. So here’s hoping the lads bring their A-game, and that we come back to North London with all three points (and maybe a few less bruises than expected). Come on you Spurs!