Galatasaray's Champions League journey gets off to a rocky start

Lucas Torreira scored his first goal in his UEFA Champions League career. The Yellow-Reds began their European campaign with a defeat.

Victor Osimhen, Mario Lemina, and Wilfried Singo were not included in the squad for the Yellow-Reds due to injuries.

GOALS: 6' Lucas Torreira, 27' Catamo, 57' Luis Suarez (pen), 63' Zalazar

Leao faces his former team for the first time

The Yellow-Reds' new signing, Rafael Leao, faced Sporting, the club where he came up through the youth ranks, for the first time.

Leao, who left the green-and-white club where he was raised in 2018 at the age of 18 under controversial circumstances, transferred to Galatasaray this summer after playing for Lille and Milan. The Portuguese national footballer returned to Jose Alvalade Stadium as an opponent for the first time since his 2018 departure. Leao entered the game in the 58th minute, replacing Leroy Sane.

Jakobs played as left center-back

Okan Buruk assigned full-back Ismail Jakobs to the left center-back position.

Captain Abdülkerim Bardakcı, who came on for Lemina—who was injured in the Göztepe match in the 3rd week of the Super Lig and was then injured again after not being risked in the starting 11 for the Başakşehir match in the 4th week—remained on the bench for the Sporting clash.

In addition to Abdülkerim, Okan Buruk kept new signing and center-back El Chadaille Bitshiabu on the bench, opting to play the Senegalese left-back alongside Davinson Sanchez.

The two teams face each other for the first time

Galatasaray faced Sporting for the first time in an official match.

The Yellow-Reds, who have faced 113 teams from 37 different countries in various competitions since their European journey began in the 1956-1957 season, have appeared in a total of 340 matches. The Lisbon-based club has appeared in UEFA tournaments 390 times.

Sporting became the 114th different team that Galatasaray has faced in their 341st European cup match.

MATCH MINUTES

84' For Galatasaray, Torreira, Yunus, and Sara left the game, while Nhaga, Ugochukwu, and İlkay entered.

80' YELLOW CARD | Deniz Gül received a yellow card for Galatasaray.

74' For Sporting Lisbon, Luis Suarez and Issa Doumbia left the game, while Ioannidis and Andersen entered.

66' For Sporting Lisbon, Rodrigo Zalazar left the game, while Gonçalves entered.

64' For Galatasaray, Batrakov left the game, while Deniz Gül entered.

63' GOAL | Zalazar's free-kick goal extended the lead to two.

58' For Galatasaray, Rafael Leao entered the game, replacing Leroy Sane.

57' GOAL | Sporting took the lead with Luis Suarez's penalty goal.

52' YELLOW CARD | Eren received a yellow card for Galatasaray.

46' The second half of the match has begun.

45' The first half of the match has ended.

45' Two minutes of stoppage time were added to the first half of the match.

43' YELLOW CARD | Luis Suarez received a yellow card for a foul on Davinson.

27' GOAL | Sporting equalized with Catamo's goal.

22' YELLOW CARD | Altimira received a yellow card for a foul on Batrakov.

6' Ismail Jakobs' throw-in took a long bounce, and in the scramble inside the penalty area, Torreira sent the ball into the net. Sporting players protested that the ball did not cross the line, but referee Espen Eskas awarded the goal.

6' GOAL | Galatasaray took the lead with Torreira's goal.

1' The first half of the match has begun.

News Source: 12punto