CRUNCH TIME FOR TURKEY !

Turkish National team coach Abdullah Avci feeling the heat  and Turkish National team star player Selcuk Inan  at the press conference today .Photo (A.A) 

It is to be or not to be for Turkish National team and coach Abdullah Avci on Tuesday!

After losing two very important matches against Hungary and Romania back last October , every match is final for Avci  and Turkish National team  now...

After winning  in away match against amateur looking team Andorra with only 2 goals, Turkish National team did not look good on the pitch!

Where everyone was expecting them to score like 5 , 8 goals , they took very few shot on a goal keeper that was awful !

On Tuesday, against Hungary , Young Turks has to be Hungary for Hungary....

A win, should keep Turkey in the quest for World Cup 2012 !

That is , if they win pretty much every match , including  the Tuesday night match....

Who ever plays in goal has to have flawless ,match...

Midfield diamond  is very important too

Hamit , Arda and Selcuk for sure will be on the pitch.....

That  triangle is very important for Turkey.....

Burak Yilmaz and  Umut Bulut  will probably play on  top against Hungary ..

Turkey loss to Hungary  3-1 ,in  Hungary......

A win, will bring Turkish National team  within one point with  Hungary....

That is why, this match is crunch and clutch match for  Turkey and Abdullah Avci !

They could prove  this with winning every match in the group....

Remaining  matches......

06/09/13  .....  Turkey vs Andorra 

10/09/13 ........ Romania vs Turkey 

11/10/13 .........Estonia vs Turkey 

15/10/13 .........Turkey vs Netherlands

Andorra 0 Turkey 2

 Turkish National  team  struck two first-half goals to beat bottom side Andorra 2-0 in a World Cup Group D qualifier on Friday although an unimpressive performance did little to boost confidence about their prospects of reaching the finals.

 

 

Turkish National team went ahead on the half-hour with a free kick by Selcuk Inan from the edge of the area that flew into the far corner of Josep Gomes net after Burak Yilmaz was fouled.

 

 

Burak Yilmaz doubled Turkey's lead just before the break with a cross-shot from a narrow angle after being put in by Umut Bulut though they failed to capitalise on any more chances.

 

 

Turkey, who are struggling in fourth place in the six-team group with six points from five matches, host Hungary on Tuesday having lost the away fixture 3-1 in October. 

Source :Reuters and edited by this blogger

Why Real Madrid should be very wary about the threat of Galatasaray

By  Chris O'Donnell

http://cfccod.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/why-real-madrid-should-be-very-wary-about-the-threat-of-galatasaray-2/

Mourinho v Drogba. Sneijder and Altintop back to face their former teams. The two top scorers in the competition come face to face. Without a doubt, Real Madrid v Galatasaray is

one of the most exciting Champions League Quarter-Final ties.

Nobody can question the quality Real Madrid, with one of the strongest squads in Europe and looking for their record 10th Champions League triumph makes them the favourites for this tie. But their opponents, Galatasaray, pose a massive threat and are certainly no push-overs.

The key factor for Galatasaray being within a chance of progressing is the 2nd leg being held in İstanbul. The atmosphere at the Türk Telekom Arena on that night will be electric, louder than any other of the ties, especially if Galatasaray are in with a chance. Galatasaray must keep it tight in the first leg in Madrid, with the aim to take a decent result back home. I think Galatasaray will have to score an away goal or two, which they’re well capable of. Any more is a massive bonus

Burak Yılmaz has scored 8 out of Galatasaray’s 11 Champions League goals so far, but they’re by no means a one-man-team. New marquee signings Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder have yet to fully make their mark on Turkish football, but I have no doubt that in time they will. Both aren’t fully fit at the moment and Fatih Terim is yet to find a position to suit Sneijder without affecting the balance of the Galatasaray team. He has time now to find out before the Real Madrid tie, he’s a fantastic coach and I’m sure he will. Drogba and Sneijder should be fully fit and fresh for the games against Real Madrid and their Champions League experience will be a massive lift to the team.

They have a fantastic young goalkeeper in Fernando Muslera, his great display against Schalke in the 2nd leg was a massive factor in Galatasaray progressing. Without him, they would most likely be out and Schalke would be playing against Real Madrid. The midfield is strong with Felipe Melo doing the hard work and set piece specialist Selçuk İnan pulling the strings and making those killer through balls into the strike force of Burak and Drogba. We all know the quality that Wesley Sneijder posesses and if he’s on top of his game then Galatasaray should give Real Madrid a real game. Out wide, Hamit Altintop and Nordin Amrabat and good but nothing great. They will have to track back a lot as Madrid pose world class wingers in Ronaldo and Di Maria.

The weakness in the Galatasaray team is the defence. Eboue, Semih, Dany and Riera will be the likely back 4, and are very prone to mistakes. Melo, Selçuk and the wide men will have to help out the defence big time as Real Madrid pose a huge attacking threat.

At the end of the day, it’s about the team who scores the most goals. When Galatasaray get into their attacking stride they’ll be very hard to stop. They just have to find that balance between attack and defence. One thing is for sure, the fans will be right behind Galatasaray. From the minute the Real Madrid players and staff arrive in the airport in İstanbul to the minute they leave, the intimidating Galatasaray faithful won’t give them any peace.

Europa League : Fenerbahce vs Lazio

Fenerbahce will face Lazio fron Italy....  

  

Lazio and Fenerbahce, who have both been in trouble with UEFA over fan behaviour, were paired in another tie while Tottenham Hotspur, the only one of the quarter-finalists to have won the trophy, face FC Basel with the first leg in London.

Fenerbahce, at home in the first leg against Lazio,   had to stage their last 16 second leg against Viktoria Plzen on Thursday behind closed doors after their fans set off fireworks during a previous home match against BATE Borisov.

Serie A side Lazio will play the second leg in an empty stadium in Rome as they complete a two-match sanction for racist behaviour Of fans, poor organisation and firework-throwing during the group stage match against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

It was Lazio's fourth racism offence this season.

The first legs will be played on April 4 and the second legs on April 11. 

Source : Reuters 

Champions League quarter-final draw :Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

Real Madrid, who beat Manchester United to advance to the last eight, will face  Galatasaray. 

The match will see Jose Mourinho, the manager of the nine-times champions,

come up against former players Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder, 

who he coached at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.

Two friends Mourinho and Terim will face each other at the quarter-finals.

It is very difficult draw for Galatasaray but, Fatih Terim likes diffucult matches .

First leg match will be in  Madrid, Spain.


Champions League draw...

Malaga v Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid v Galatasaray

PSG v Barcelona

Bayern Munich v Juventus

The matches will take place on 2nd/3rd April (1st Leg) and 9th/10th April (2nd Leg)

Fenerbahce still cautious

A cautious Fenerbahce coach, Aykut Kocaman, told a press conference that his team would still have to work hard to win the second leg match in Istanbul, after defeating 1-0   Viktoria Plzen in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 tie.

At the press conference Ayku Kocaman said you can't win matches without playing, even though we have the away goal advantage "

"You have to go out there and play  the game as a team"

Question from Czech journalist , "Are you afraid of tomorrow's match" 


Was answered by Aykut Kocaman with a bit a smile on his face " Yes , to tell you truth, Yes I do feel a bit of afraid "


In the beginning of his press conference, Aykut Kocaman congratulate Galatasaray team.

He said , "Galatasaray did the hard thing and went through"


Fenerbahce will be without their fans in the stands...


UEFA has rejected Fenerbahce's appeal against playing in an empty stadium on Thursday because fans delayed an earlier closed-door match by parachuting in fireworks.

The 12th man not being there , will hurt Fenerbahce  financially  and not having the fan support in the stands too!

*Fenerbahçe have won two of their last three European home games without conceding, but are far from invulnerable in Istanbul, having lost the other match in that run 3-0 to VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach.

*Fenerbahçe have reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League (2007/08) and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1963/64) but are making their debut in the last 16 of this competition.


Fenerbahce with one foot in , they could well qualified  to next round  if they play as a team..

Players like Dirk Kuyt  could help with his experience.....


Fenerbahce vs Plzen match will start at 4.05 PM,ET on Thursday , March 14th,2013

Do or Die Match for Galatasaray!

Advantage  on Schalke side but we have to remember Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim's  words!

"We are not done until we say  the last word!"

With that spirit, I am sure Terim should be big factor in the lockers room before the match at the half and from the sidelines....

Plus, Galatasaray will have Drogba and Sneijder along with Burak Yilmaz on the field.


Chelsea legend Drogba, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, could well be big factor in this match.

If we look at the recent stats, we see Schalke is the better side...

Galatasaray, hasn't done that good since the first leg match in Turkey!

Schalke will be without  Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jermaine Jones


If Wesley Sneijder play on his original position,  Galatasaray's offense  will work better!

He needs to play behind the striker  not on left side of the field.

Recent form

Schalke: LLDWWW

Galatasaray: WWDWDL

Possible starting lineups

Schalke: Hildebrand; Hoger, Howedes, Matip, Kolasinac; Jones, Neustadter, Farfan, Draxler, Bastos; Huntelaar

Galatasaray: Muslera; Sabri Sarioglu, Nounkeu, Semih Kaya; Riera, Altintop, Melo, Selcuk Inan, Sneijder; Burak Yilmaz, Drogba

Both teams are focused ....

Don't be surprise if Galatasaray makes it to quarter-finals with dramatic way!

The 12th man in the stadium almost will be equal , where a lot of German-Turks will support Galatasaray.

Galatasaray will be without Johan Elmander....

At the press conference  Fatih Terim said , "We know we are up against a strong opponent but I am confident we will win tomorrow. I trust my team. Drogba and Sneijder will play tomorrow."

Drogba and Sneijder  has to show they are the clutch players to Fatih Terim!

Would they?

I think, so !

Drogba always like the spotlight in the Champions League ....

Match Date\Time: 8:45 p.m. local, 7:45 p.m. BST, 3:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Stadion Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

TV: FOX Soccer Plus (U.S.), Sky Sports 2 (U.K.), Sportsnet World (Canada), Sky Sport 2 HD (Germany), NTV Spor, Star TV (Turkey.)

Online: FOX Soccer 2Go (U.S.), Sky Go (U.K.)