Matchday 3 of the Champions League group stage takes FC Bayern to Turkish record champions Galatasaray on Tuesday evening (kick-off 18:45 CEST). fcbayern.com examines the legendary Istanbul club more closely in our opposition profile.
Current form: impressive performances in league and Europe
Galatasaray have made a good start to the season. The Turkish side have impressed on both the domestic and European fronts and go into the clash with Bayern with plenty of momentum. Gala currently sit second in the Süper Lig with 25 points - two behind Fenerbahce - after winning Saturday’s Istanbul derby against Besiktas 2-1 thanks to a Mauro Icardi brace, which extended the defending champions’ unbeaten run to nine games (W8 D1). In the Champions League, Okan Buruk’s men have collected four points from the opening two group matches. After a draw against Copenhagen, they triumphed 3-2 at Manchester United last time out.
The squad: strong attack with a wealth of experience
The Galatasaray squad is particularly strong in the attacking department. Alongside Argentinian goal-getter Icardi, who has already plundered 14 goals in all competitions this term, Gala strengthened in the summer with the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Morocco international Hakim Ziyech as well as Brazilian winger Tetê, who joined from Shakhtar Donetsk. The high-quality attack is completed by Belgian veteran Dries Mertens and Turkey international Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who mostly operates as the playmaker in the number 10 position.
In midfield, Uruguay international Lucas Torreira and former Leverkusen man Kerem Demirbay provide the required creativity, while the Turks bolstered their defence in the summer with the signing of Colombian centre-back Davinson Sánchez from Tottenham Hotspur. One constant in the team has been goalkeeper Fernando Muslera – the 37-year-old captain has been with the club since 2011.
At their best in the league
With 23 Süper Lig titles, 18 Turkish Cup successes and 16 Super Cups, Galatasaray are the most successful football club in Turkey. Their biggest success on the European stage came in the year 2000, when then coach Fatih Terim led the team to UEFA Cup glory against Arsenal. In the final in Copenhagen, Gala triumphed on penalties against the much-fancied Gunners and also claimed the first European title for a Turkish club. With the win in the UEFA Super Cup against Champions League winners Real Madrid a few weeks later, Galatasaray crowned the most successful era in the club's history to date.
The stadium: RAMS Park
Galatasaray's home ground is famous around Europe for its intense atmosphere. Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi Rams Park, to give the stadium its full name, opened in 2011 in the Istanbul district of Sarıyer. With a capacity of 52,223, it's the second largest venue in the country after the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. Germany have also played at RAMS Park once before: in EURO qualifying in 2011, the national team won 3-1 against Turkey thanks to goals from Bayern trio Mario Gomez, Thomas Müller and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
First meeting in over five decades
The only previous encounter between the German and Turkish record champions took place in the first round of the European Cup in the 1972/73 campaign. Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Bayern romped home 6-0 at the Olympiastadion on 27 September 1972. Gerd Müller netted a brace, while Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß, Franz Roth and Edgar Schneide also got on the scoresheet.
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