FC Bayern visit Galatasaray on Tuesday looking to defend top spot in Champions League Group A against the second-placed Turks (kick-off at 18:45 CEST, coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our live text commentary and free web radio). Victory in Istanbul would see the Bundesliga champions extend their so far perfect record in the competition and take the next step towards the knockout stage. Here’s all you need to know in our preview.
Check out the best photos from the day before the game:
State of play
Thanks to a 4-3 home win over Manchester United and 2-1 victory in Copenhagen, Bayern were well placed in Group A. FCB lead the section with six points ahead of Galatasaray (four), Copenhagen (one) and United (zero). A 3-1 Bundesliga win over Mainz at the weekend also boosted confidence, with the Munich club now unbeaten in 11 competitive fixtures.
“The Champions League only works taking things one step at a time. We feel strong enough to win the group. We want to still be ahead of Galatasaray after the game,” said head coach Thomas Tuchel at Monday’s pre-match press conference. “Galatasaray always play with the whole stadium, all the fans behind them. They have lots of experience, lots of good players who’ve played in top leagues. I’m expecting a very tough game,” added defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Recap the day before the game in our live blog:
Opponent: Galatasaray
Galatasaray are back in the Champions League group stage after a four-year absence, picking up four points over the first two games. Starting with a 2-2 draw at home to Copenhagen, where the Turkish champions trailed 2-0 until the 86th minute, Okan Buruk’s team then laid down a marker with a 3-2 triumph away at Manchester United.
In their domestic Süper Lig, Galatasaray are currently second, two points behind Fenerbahce. They warmed up for the visit of Bayern by beating city rivals Besiktas on Saturday. The reigning champions strengthened over the summer with some notable signings, including Hakim Ziyech, Wilfried Zaha and Mauro Icardi, who remains a doubt for Tuesday’s game. “Galatasaray are Turkey’s tradition-rich club. They’ve developed well, are a very dynamic, aggressive and quick team,” Tuchel said of the opposition.
Find out more about Galatasaray:
Personnel
Bayern are without Leon Goretzka, who suffered a fractured hand against Mainz. Manuel Neuer (training after broken leg), Serge Gnabry (fractured arm), Raphael Guerreiro and Dayot Upamecano (both muscular) are also still out. However, Noussair Mazraoui has travelled to Istanbul after missing the weekend’s game through injury.
Read up on the facts ahead of the game:
What the coaches say
The game is a big challenge for us. Their team is very aggressive, very mobile, attacks a lot with and without the ball. We’ll need our best level to win.
Thomas Tuchel
We’re playing against one of the favourites to win the Champions League. After [beating] Manchester United, we want another unforgettable night against Bayern.
Okan Buruk
We spoke with Lukas Podolski ahead of this meeting of two former clubs:
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