Ten Hag’s team has only won three points from the first four Champions League games and occupies the last place in Group A, Galatasaray is one point better. So both teams have a lot to play for. And with United still to play against Bayern, a win looks almost a must if they are to secure Europe’s cup this spring. “We also played the last matches in the league away. We handled them well. We were balanced, the atmosphere didn’t throw us off,” the Hag is sure that the English giant will handle the match.
RankingTeamMatchesScoresPoints1.Bayern412:6122.Copenhagen47:843.Galatasaray47:944.United49:113
If you look at history, you can see that it will definitely not be an easy task. In 1993, United traveled to Galatasaray’s ground with a similar task. After a 3-3 home draw, they intended to fight for promotion in Turkey, but the 0-0 result sent their opponents to the next stage of the Champions League. “I remember that about two hours before kick-off we went to have a look at the pitch. Under normal circumstances, around thirty fans are present somewhere in the corner at that time. But then the whole stadium was packed to the brim, everyone in the stands was jumping and screaming,” United midfielder Paul Ince at the time recalled the fierce fight.
Petr Čech also has experience with rioting in the stands of Rams Park. “The atmosphere was really hellish. Loudest I’ve ever experienced. Mad roar. In addition, sometimes coins or lighters fly onto the pitch,” he said in February 2014, when he defended the English team’s goal in a 1:1 draw against Galatasaray in a Chelsea jersey.
And that Turkish football fanatics would have calmed down since then? Don’t be laughed at. United will simply have to deal with the hatred of a packed stadium. And Coach the Hag thinks he knows the recipe. “We can handle similar situations. We did it in Barcelona last year and I’m sure we’ll do it again,” believes the Dutch coach.
Napoli can secure promotion at Real’s pitch
Already certain to advance from Group C, Spain’s Real Madrid will welcome reigning Serie A champions Napoli. In case of success, the team from Campania can secure the second promotion place from the group. In the parallel match, the Portuguese Braga hosts Union Berlin and its goal is to erase the four-point deficit against Napoli, to whose field they will go in the final round of the group stage.
2023-11-29 16:35:44
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