Galatasaray eyes victory over Dynamo Kyiv for top-8 finish in Europa League

Galatasaray will host Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv at RAMS Park Stadium in Istanbul on Jan. 21, 2025, for an important UEFA Europa League Group Stage match. This encounter is significant as it marks the first official meeting between the two teams in European competition.

Galatasaray’s current form, squad

Under the guidance of manager Okan Buruk, Galatasaray has already secured a spot in the knockout rounds of the tournament. However, the team remains focused on finishing in the top eight to ensure direct qualification to the Round of 16.

With 12 points from six matches—three wins and three draws—Galatasaray is currently in sixth place in their group. The team has shown strong form, remaining unbeaten in their last 24 official matches across all competitions.

While Galatasaray will be missing key players such as Mauro Icardi, Gabriel Sara, and Roland Sallai due to injury, the team remains confident in its ability to secure a positive result.

Icardi is sidelined with an injury, while Sara and Sallai are unavailable for other reasons, including injury and exclusion from the UEFA squad list.

Dynamo Kyiv’s struggles, hopes for an upset

Dynamo Kyiv enters this match with a challenging record in the group stage, having lost all six of their previous matches. The Ukrainian side has scored only one goal and conceded 15, highlighting their struggles in both attack and defense during the competition. However, their domestic form has been much stronger, with an unbeaten record in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Despite their difficulties in Europe, Dynamo Kyiv still has a capable squad that could potentially cause an upset. Key players such as goalkeeper Georgiy Buschan, defenders Artem Mykhailenko and Ihor Popov, and forwards Benjamin Guerrero and Artem Kabaiev will be crucial to their chances of achieving a positive result in Istanbul.

Match details

• Date: Jan. 21, 2025
• Time: 6:30 p.m. (Local time)
• Venue: RAMS Park Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye

Expected line-ups

• Galatasaray: Fernando Muslera (GK), Kaan Ayhan, Davinson Sánchez, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Patrick van Aanholt, Lucas Torreira, Berkan Kutlu, Dries Mertens, Baris Alper Yilmaz, Yunus Akgun, Victor Osimhen.
• Dynamo Kyiv: Georgiy Buschan (GK), Artem Biova, Ihor Popov, Valeriy Dyachuk, Artem Mykhailenko, Serhiy Brazhko, Vitalii Buyalskiy, Oleksandr Dubinchak, Andriy Voloshyn, Artem Kabaiev, Vladyslav Vanat.

Referees

The match will be officiated by Estonian referee Kristo Tohver, with Silver Koiv and Sander Saga as assistant referees. Kevin Kaivoja will act as the fourth official, and Marko Liiva will oversee the video assistant referee (VAR).

Galatasaray’s objectives for match

Although Galatasaray has already secured its place in the knockout rounds, the team is determined to win this match in order to improve their chances of finishing in the top eight of the group. A top-eight finish would grant them direct entry into the Round of 16, offering a significant advantage as the competition progresses.

This highly anticipated match promises to be an exciting and high-stakes encounter. Galatasaray will look to extend their unbeaten run and strengthen their position in the tournament, while Dynamo Kyiv will aim to avoid further disappointment and secure a positive result in Istanbul.