Real Madrid have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their past 11 Champions League matches and Galatasaray are fancied to find the net in Spain on Wednesday.
The La Liga giants played out 180 minutes of gripping European action with Manchester United when prevailing 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16 and their reward is a tie with the competition’s rank outsiders.
Jose Mourinho’s side were under the cosh when trailing at Old Trafford before Nani’s controversial sending off swung the tie in their favour but there is little doubt they are among the favourites to lift the trophy and should have no trouble progressing.
Real emerged unscathed from a difficult group along with Borussia Dortmund at the expense of Premier League champions Manchester City and Ajax but they did so conceding nine times in six matches and the Turks will certainly fancy their chances of grabbing a vital away goal.
With the January additions of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder, Galatasaray certainly possess a threat and they have been terrific on the road in the Champions League.
A 3-2 win at Schalke confirmed Galatasaray’s place in the last eight and Fatih Terim’s side have triumphed in each of their last three games on their travels in the Europe.
Wins at Cluj and Braga in the group stage will boost confidence but whether they can stop Cristiano Ronaldo and teammates is another matter and both teams to score at 1.91 looks the value.
With Mourinho’s men all but guaranteed to find the net, the wager comes down to the visitor’s ability to breach the home defence and there is plenty of optimism they can.
Madrid just don’t keep clean sheets with any degree of regularity, none at all since mid-February, and it is sure to be an open contest with both sides better suited on the front foot.
3pts Back Both Teams to Score (Real Madrid vs. Galatasaray) @ 1.91 (various)