EURO 2024: TURKEY VS. GEORGIA: PREVIEW, PREDICTION & BETTING PICKS

Turkey and Georgia are set to clash in Group F of Euro 2024 this Tuesday, with both teams eager to make their mark on the tournament. Drawn alongside Portugal and Czechia, the stakes are high for every match in this group. As both teams prepare for this crucial encounter, here is an in-depth look at their form, key players, and historical context.

• Date: 18/06/2024
• Kick-off time: 17:00
• Location: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund

Turkey enter Euro 2024 with a considerable amount of expectation, labelled by many as potential "dark horses" of the tournament. This isn't a new scenario for them; the same was said ahead of Euro 2020. However, their previous campaign ended disastrously, as Turkey finished the group stage with zero points. This year, they are determined to avoid a repeat of that disappointment and make a deeper run into the knockout stages.Turkey's road to Euro 2024 has been promising. They topped their qualifying group, which included a strong rival like Croatia, alongside Wales, Armenia, and Latvia. Their solid performance throughout the qualifiers has raised hopes among fans and pundits alike. The team showed resilience and consistency, qualities that will be crucial in the group stage and beyond.The Turkish squad boasts a mix of experience and youthful exuberance, particularly in midfield. Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who plays for Inter Milan, is known for his creative playmaking and ability to dictate the tempo of the game. Alongside him is Orkun Kökçü of Benfica, another talented midfielder who has shown his capability to perform at a high level. These players are pivotal in Turkey’s strategy, pulling the strings and creating opportunities for the team.Adding to the excitement are two 19-year-old prodigies: Arda Güler of Real Madrid and Kenan Yıldız of Juventus. Both players are among the most exciting prospects in Europe, bringing youthful energy and flair to the Turkish side. Their potential impact on the tournament could be significant, offering a fresh dynamic to the team’s attacking options.Vincenzo Montella, Turkey's manager, brings a wealth of experience and tactical acumen to the team. His leadership will be crucial in navigating the pressures of the tournament and ensuring that Turkey performs to their potential. Montella’s approach is likely to focus on leveraging the midfield's strength and the young talents in the squad to create a balanced and formidable team.Turkey’s best-ever result in the European Championship came in 2008, where they reached the semi-finals before narrowly losing to Germany 3-2. This historical achievement still resonates with Turkish fans and serves as an inspiration for the current squad. The team will be eager to emulate or surpass that success this year.

For Georgia, Euro 2024 marks their first appearance at a major international tournament as an independent nation. This achievement is a testament to their perseverance and development in recent years. The road to qualification was not straightforward, but Georgia managed to secure their place through the playoffs.Georgia finished fourth in their qualifying group, which featured tough opponents such as Spain, Scotland and Norway, while Cyprus made up the remainder of the group. Despite this challenging group stage, their performance in the UEFA Nations League earned them a playoff spot. In the playoffs, Georgia defied the odds and clinched their place in Euro 2024, marking a significant milestone in their football history.Georgia's squad includes several standout players who will be key to their performance in the tournament. Giorgi Mamardashvili, the 23-year-old goalkeeper from Valencia, is highly regarded and will be a crucial figure between the posts. His shot-stopping abilities and command of the penalty area provide Georgia with a solid last line of defence.Up front, Georges Mikautadze, a 23-year-old striker from Metz, offers a potent attacking threat. His ability to find the back of the net will be vital for Georgia as they look to make an impact in the tournament.The star of the team is undoubtedly Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the 23-year-old winger from Napoli. Kvaratskhelia is one of Europe’s most exciting talents, known for his dribbling skills, pace, and creativity. His performances will be closely watched, as he has the potential to be a game-changer for Georgia. Georgia are managed by Willy Sagnol, a former French international. Sagnol’s experience as a player at the highest level, combined with his tactical knowledge, has been instrumental in Georgia’s recent success. His leadership will be crucial as Georgia navigates their first major international tournament.Turkey and Georgia have faced each other five times between 2002 and 2012. In these encounters, Turkey emerged victorious on three occasions, while Georgia secured one win, and one match ended in a draw. This historical record gives Turkey a slight edge, but it also highlights that Georgia are capable of challenging their opponents..As Turkey and Georgia prepare to face each other, the match promises to be a fascinating contest. Turkey, with their mix of experience and youthful talent, are looking to make a strong statement and advance beyond the group stage. Georgia, entering their first major tournament, are eager to prove themselves and make history.

Turkey Team News:

Turkey lost Bournemouth striker Enes Ünal to injury just last week so Cenk Tosun, who was the team's top scorer in qualifying, will battle it out with Barış Alper Yılmaz and Semih Kılıçsoy to start up top.Vincenzo Montella tends to favour a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Salih Özcan providing the base while Orkun Kökçü operates further forward. Juventus sensation Kenan Yıldız has a good chance to start on the left, but Arda Güler may have to settle for a place on the bench.Former Liverpool defender Ozan Kabak picked up an injury in Turkey's warmup friendly against Italy last week and will miss the tournament.

Georgia Team News:

Georgia tend to operate in a 3-5-2, with star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia playing up top alongside either Georges Mikautadze or Budu Zivzivadze.36-year-old captain Guram Kashia will play at the heart of the back three, likely flanked by Solomon Kvirkvelia and Lasha Dvali. Giorgi Mamardashvili, of course, will start between the sticks.

Turkey's form is not ideal heading into this tournament as they enter this game amidst a run of four games without a win. Their most recent game was a 2-1 defeat in Poland on Monday night where a goal from Barış Alper Yılmaz was not enough to stop the Eastern Europeans from taking the spoils with two goals either side of that one from Karol Świderski and Nicola Zalewski. Despite the defeat, Turkey were probably the better side so they can take some comfort from that.Prior to that game, Turkey sealed a commendable 0-0 draw against Italy in what was an even game, a result that followed a pretty concerning 6-1 hammering at the hands of Austria back in March, a result they'll be hoping was little more than an anomaly.The defeat in Austria followed a 1-0 loss at the hands of Hungary, which came after their most recent win which was a 3-2 triumph over Germany (in Germany) where goals from Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Kenan Yıldız and Yusuf Sarı got the job done in what was an impressive performance.

Georgia's form has been solid as they enter this game with three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five games. Most recently, goals from Otar Kiteishvili, Georges Mikautadze and Budu Zivzivadze secured a 3-1 win over Montenegro in what is set to be their only friendly of the warmup period.Before that, Georgia faced Greece in the final playoff game for a place in the Euros and despite being reduced to ten men on the stroke of half-time, Georgia dug deep and managed to book their ticket to Germany through a penalty shootout win following a 0-0 draw.Prior to that game, Georgia sailed to a 2-0 win against Luxemburg courtesy of a brace from Budu Zivzivadze.Those results followed a 3-1 defeat in Spain and a 2-2 draw against scotland, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring all of the goals in those three games.

This game will likely be a close one with Turkey dominating the ball and Georgia looking to hit them on the break. Georgia won't be easy to break down, but Turkey have the talent to swing this game in their favour when needs be so we're backing them to get the job done and begin to write the wrongs of 2021. Turkey 2-1 Georgia.