Galatasaray vs Atl. Madrid Prediction & Betting Tips (21 January)

Galatasaray was in a good position in the race for the play-offs before the matches of the 7th day. Virtually 18th, halfway between the top 8 and the first eliminated 25th place, the Turkish club remains however with frustrating defeats in this campaign against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 0-1 and Monaco 1-0. These results balanced its record at 3 wins and 3 losses 2 days before the end of the league phase. Galatasaray has since had a string of victories in the Championship. The Istanbulites were able to line up a fourth last Saturday against Gaziantep. Their bitter failure in the final of the Turkish Super Cup against Fenerbahçe 0-2, at the start of the month, will remain an eternal regret since it is the only match that they have not won since the transition to the year 2026.

 Atlético de Madrid remains on victories against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1, Inter 2-1 and PSV Eindhoven 2-3 in this league phase. This maximum contribution of points over the last three days allowed the Colchoneros to close the top 8 before the 7th day, with the same total as the 9th, the first virtually play-off club. They prepared for this trip to Istanbul with a clash with Alaves last Sunday in La Liga. The challenge for the Madrilenians was to stay close to the podium after beating La Coruna 0-1 in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. They then started 2026 with a draw in the Championship against Real Sociedad 1-1 and a defeat in the Madrid derby against Real 1-2, in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup. 

Galatasaray challenges Atlético de Madrid without defender Baltaci, suspended in a sports betting affair, and full-back Karatas, not registered for the league phase. The captains Jakobs (defender) and Osimhen (6 goals in C1) should return to the group after playing in the CAN but the long-term absentee Singo, who has not appeared on the field since November, will once again withdraw. Finally, young defender Ünyay remains uncertain for this shock. If he piled up the goals last month in the Championship, Sané has not yet been successful in the Champions League. Icardi neither. The former Parisian is barred by Osimhen at center forward. Atlético cannot count on French defender Lenglet (substitute) and striker Nico Gonzalez (potential starter, 1 goal in La Liga), who have insufficiently recovered from their injury.

Captain Koke (middle) is fit after suffering from muscular overload which deprived him of the Copa del Rey match. There has been a change in the squad since the opening of the winter transfer window. Midfielder Gallagher joined Tottenham after failing to find a starting place in Diego Simeone's eleven, Raspadori (1 goal in C1) signed up with Atalanta and the second knives Galan (Osasuna) and Martin (Rayo Vallecano) were loaned. Julian Alvaraz (7 goals in La Liga, 4 in C1) scored in the last 3 matches of the league phase but remains scoreless in 5 matches in all competitions. Sörloth (5 goals in La Liga, 1 in C1) found the fault twice at the start of the year and Griezmann (10 TCC goals) also knows how to be surgical although he has lost his starting place.