Fenerbahce takes on Lazio in Istanbul

Fenerbahce will host Italian side Lazio in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Turkey. 

Lazio manager, Vladimir Petković has very fond memories of this stadium – his former team BSC Young Boys defeated the Turkish side in the Europa League qualifying rounds back in 2010-11 season.

Fenerbahce are coming into this match on the back of a convincing 2-0 win last weekend over lowly Akhisar in the Turkish Super League. They are currently in second in the domestic league, just four points behind arch rivals Galatasaray. The Fenerbahce are on a good run of form lately and have lost just thrice in their last 20 games (in all competitions), which includes the 3-2 defeat at the hands of 1461 Trabzon in the cup.

In the last round they scraped past Viktoria Plzen courtesy of Salih Ucan’s strike in the first half of the second leg at home. They have been far from convincing in the knockout rounds so far and will need a great performance at home in the first leg to have any hope of beating Lazio in this tie.

Lazio on the other hand are the only club which is still unbeaten in the competition and are currently the top scorer in Europa League as well. But the Biancazzurri have struggled in the league off late and have lost six of their last nine matches in Serie A –which has dealt a heavy blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Lazio are currently fifth in the table and are closely followed by Inter and Roma and if they don’t improve their form, they might as well find themselves out of Europe next season.

But Vladimir Petković’s side are coming into this match on the back of an important 2-1 win over Catania – albeit with a bit of luck. Their form in Europe has been outstanding though. The smashed five goals past Stuttgart over two legs in the last round – courtesy of an outstanding hattrick by Europa League’s top scorer Libor Kozak in the second leg. In fact they also scored five goals against a strong Monchengladbach side in the knockout previous round.

Match date: April 5, 2013  3:00 PM,ET

Sukrü Saracogu Stadium  — İstanbul / Turkey

Team Lineups :

Fenerbahçe

Volkan, Gokhan, Bekir, Yobo, Ziegler, Meireles, Selcuk
Kuyt, Baroni, Caner, Sow

Lazio

Marchetti, Biava, Cana, Dias, Radu, Mauri, G’lez, Ledesma, Lulic, Hernanes, Klose

Real Madrid defeats Galatasaray 3-0

Real Madrid defeats Turkey's Galatasaray 3-0
Spain's Real Madrid defeated Turkey's Galatasaray, 3-0, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in Madrid



Spain's Real Madrid defeated Turkey's Galatasaray, 3-0, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in Madrid on Wednesday.
The second leg will be played in Istanbul on Tuesday.

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu

Referees: Svein Oddvar Moen, Kim Thomas Haglund, Frank Andas (Norway)

Real Madrid: Diego Lopez, Essien, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Coentrao, Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Di Maria (Mn. 85 Pepe), Mesut Ozil (Mn. 79 Modric), Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema (Mn. 65 Higuain )

Galatasaray: Muslera, Eboue, Semih Kaya, Dany, Riera (Mn. 83 Amrabat), Melo, Hamit Altintop (Mn. 78 Umut), Selcuk Inan, Sneijder (Mn. 46 Gokhan Zan), Drogba, Burak Yilmaz

Goals: Mn. 9 Cristiano Ronaldo, Mn. 29 Benzema, Mn. 73 Higuain (Real Madrid)
Yellow cards: Mn. 41 Dany, Mn. 70 Melo, Mn. 74 Drogba, Mn. 78 Burak Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Mn. 84 Essien, Mn. 84 Xabi Alonso, Mn. 90 Sergio Ramos, Mn. 90+1 Modric (Real Madrid)

Source : AA News Agency

Real Madrid vs Galatasaray....

Are you ready ?

 Most of you  already  biting your nails  and waiting this huge match to start!

Underdogs, Galatasaray ready to take on Real Madrid in Spain.....

Since January transfer window, with Sneijder and Drogba, Galatasaray is getting a lot of attention from worlds media and soccer fans  around the world.

That  is why this match will be watched in 70 countries  live ....

Galatasaray and Fatih Terim is in this Elite Eight group in the Champions League for the first time.

So, this match in United States will be broadcast live starting at 2:30 PM< ET on Fox Soccer TV

Casillas ruled out against Galatasaray!

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has said that Iker Casillas will not even be on the bench for the Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Galatasaray on Wednesday.

The Spanish captain has recently returned to full training after breaking a bone in his hand back in January. However, after another fine performance by Diego Lopez in Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Real Zaragoza on Saturday, Mourinho said it will be difficult for Casillas to regain his place.

“On Wednesday Casillas won’t be a substitute. Against Levante he will be in the squad,” he told a press conference.

“I can never say that a player will start for the rest of the season, but I can say that once more Diego Lopez has played very well and helped the team obtain a result. 

“Playing as he has in games with a high grade of difficulty like Barcelona and Manchester United and playing as he is currently playing, he is important for the team.

“In football we have to try and be honest with ourselves and our players. In this form it will be difficult for him to not start in goal.” 

Mourinho recognized  the problems his side are having at the other end of the pitch after his strikers once again failed to find the net at La Romareda.

“The reality is we are not scoring many goals. It is one of the differences with respect to last season.

“Everyone’s number of goals has reduced and the team feels it. The goals will arrive though, if not in this match then in the next.” 


Source :Wires 

Third time is the charm for Fatih Terim with Galatasaray

Fatih Terim and Me ( Ahmet B Turgut ) -1997


His first time was  back in 1996 with  Galatasaray.....

And it was filled with a lot of  achievements!

Winning the European Cup for the first time as a Turkish team and setting records for four years in the Turkish Super League,,,,,,

Winning the Championship for  four strait years in the Turkish Super League,,,,,

 The most important one was winning the European Cup back in 199 -2000 season!

Before the Galatasaray years, Fatih Terim made his name with Turkish National team back in starting 1995

I met  Fatih Terim for the for the first time back in 1990's in New York..........

 Fatih Terim came to New York with Senez Erzik at the time he was Turkish Football Federation President...

I also saw him when he came to Toronto, Canada with Turkish National team  back in 1995 and  when he brought Galatasaray team to USA tour back in 1997........

Terim, got his guiding ship under Sepp Piontek whem he was assistant coach at Turkish National team back in 1990!

With a good generation of players at Galatasaray and in the Turkish National team helped Terim's career to achieve a lot of his goal along with experience players like George Hagi and other Romanian player on the team....

In his first four years at Galatasaray ,Terim had a impressive record!

Winning 133 games out of 204 matches and 44 draw and only 27 loss......

But ,his second  time with Galatasaray  was not that great!

  it was a failure......

His unsuccessful  foreigner players transfer cost Galatasaray big time.....

His second term  did not less that long at the end of one and half season he resigned!

THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM !'

Fatih Terim returned to Galatasaray for a third term back in may of 2011 , when Galatasaray team was really struggling in the league!

With current Chairman Unal Aysal winning the election  , Aysal hired and shook hands with Terim !''

In 2010-2011 season exactly this time Galatasaray was in the 14th  place in the Turkish super league when Terim took Galatasaray team!

With Unal Aysal and his committeemen new vision , Galatasaray with Fatih Terim has been the talk of the Turkish Football around the world.!

Nearly bankrupt Galatasaray team manage  to pay the debt they owed and  got  world class players like Drogba and Sneijder at the January transfer window thanks to Unal Aysal's vision ....

Winning games and being in the Champions League tournament helped Galatasaray pay some of those money that they owed!

What ever the case, Galatasaray is  on right-track so far with Unal Aysal and Fatih Terim...

They are in  the elite eight of the Champions League !

And they will face  world's one of the best teams Real Madrid, come Tuesday......

World's top ten, two coaches Mourinho and Terim will be against each other!

They are friends of the pitch  but they will fight with their tactics on the sideline this Tuesday ...

On the paper, there is no doubt Real Madrid is much stronger team....

But, Terim's motivation from sildeline and his experience player like Drogba, Sneijder and Hamit Altintop  could well cause damage to Real Madrid on Tuesday,,,

Also Galatasaray's goal scoring machine Burak Yilmaz and mastermind  at the midfield Selcuk inan could be a factor in this match....

Fatih Terim's dimond at the midfield  if it works like he wants it, Real Madrid will be in trouble .....

Galatasaray scoring goals in Madrid will help the second match in Istanbul.....

Biggest problem I see with Galatasaray is their defense !

They have to have  a flawless match....

On Tuesday, Galatasaray will be on front of world's eyes, against one of the worlds best team, Real Madrid!

That is good thing for Turkish Football and Turkey.....

CRITICAL WEEKEND IN THE TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE

Only seven weeks to go in the Turkish Super League and things are getting very critical on top and bottom.

Before big show down in Europe for Galatasaray and Fenerbahce ,this weekend ,could be very painful and stressful .

Galatasaray will travel to play Europe big guns Real Madrid  in Madrid  and  Fenerbahce will host Lazio after this weekend matches....

But first they have to pass the Super league hurdle this weekend....

They both play in Istanbul ....

Galatasaray plays on Saturday at home against  Istanbul Buyuksehir while Fenerbahce faces Akhisaspor on Sunday at home.....

Galatasaray and Fatih Terim will face former Galatasaray player now coach at Istanbul Buyuksehir Bulent Korkmaz,

It will be very interesting to see Fatih Terim go against his former player from Galatasaray and Turkish National team !

On the paper, Galatasaray should not have any problem but, will Galatasaray be focused to this match or the Champions League match against Real Madrid?

That is the biggest question!

 They have to win  against Buyuksehir.....

A draw and loss will bring the gap to very close with Fenerbahce and other teams....

As of now ,before 27th weekend, Galatasaray sits on top with 50 points, Fenerbahce on second with 46 and Besiktas on third with 43 and there are two teams with 40 points  Kasimpasa and Bursaspor who will face each other this weekend in Istanbul.

If Fenerbahce wins against Akhisar and Galatasaray lose point or points, this race will be very interesting/

That is why this weekend is very interesting and critical  on top as well as on the bottom of the league....

It is so intense, Trabzonspor could find them self in the fire if they lose at home against Antalya this weekend.

There is a huge pressure at the bottom and mid level in the league....

Teams like, Akhisar, Ordu, Karabuk, Elazig, Trabzon,, Gaziantep and Istanbul Buyuksehir, feeling the heat !

Mersin , is pretty much done this year....

But, who will be the other two teams will say good bye to Turkish Super League ?

That is the real question!

It is all win win from now on all the teams who are feeling the heat...

Winners will go on and  loser will probably  bite the dust  at the bottom....

So, in away, this weekend is very critical all around in the league...

27th weekend matches will start on Saturday  and end on Monday night....

There will be three matches on Saturday , four matches on Sunday and two on Monday night.

Galatasaray plays on Saturday, Fenerbahce and Trabzspor on Sunday and Besiktas plays on Monday night in Mersin.

Will there be surprises ?

I think so........

Here is the 27th weekend matches ..... 

10:00	Gaziantepspor	? - ?	Eskisehirspor
13:00	Galatasaray	? - ?	Istanbul Buyuksehir
13:00	Sivasspor	? - ?	Orduspor
March 31
06:30	Kasimpasa	? - ?	Bursaspor
09:00	Trabzonspor	? - ?	MP Antalyaspor
12:00	Elazigspor	? - ?	Genclerbirligi
12:00	Fenerbahce	? - ?	Akhisar Belediye Genclik Ve Spor
April 1
13:00	Karabukspor	? - ?	Kayserispor
13:00	Mersin	? - ?	Besiktas

World Cup Hopes Pretty Much Over for Turkey !

 It was to be or not to be in this group for Turkish National team and coach  Abdullah Avci and they could not do it in front of their home turf at Fenerbahce's Sukru Saracoglu stadium.

Although, Turkey went ahead with Burak Yilmaz header first a huge mistake by defender Semih Kaya cost Turkey  a win !

Hungary scored with Daniel Bode on Semih Kaya's mistake.......


Turkey's goal came from Burak Yılmaz on 63rd minute while, Bode equalized the score for Hungary on 71st minute.

Hungary had the first chance in the sixth minute, but Adam Szalai hit his shot straight at Turkey goalkeeper Onur Kivrak. Turkey forced a succession of corners and then Alper Potuk shot wide for the home side, who lost the reverse fixture in October 3-1.

With nearly 20 minutes gone Szalai tried another shot from distance, which was again off target, as was Alper Potuk when he shot from long range. But just three minutes later Hungary twice went close to taking the lead, only to be denied by Onur Kivrak.

Balazs Dzsudzsak's free-kick was headed by Szalai but the effort was parried by Onur  Kivrak, who also saved Tamas Kadar's follow-up shot. Nuri Sahin shot over the bar and then Selcuk Inan  saw his effort blocked by  defender Jozsef Varga.

Hungary keeper  parried a shot from Arda Turan before  Burak Yilmaz shot wide. Turkey should have taken the lead, but  Alper Potuk missed the target with a shot from close range and then Kiraly tipped over a 25-yard shot from Nuri Sahin

.

Burak Yilmaz shot over the bar and Hungary's Tamas Hajnal fired wide as both sides started the second half well.  Burak Yilmaz finally made the breakthrough on the hour when he headed in Arda Turan's cross from close range.

Hungary  were level with 20 minutes to go when substitute Bode shot home from close range. The visitors nearly took the lead when Vladimir Koman's shot was blocked, but neither side could break the deadlock in a frenetic finish.

In the other matches , Netherlands beat Romania 4-0 while, Estonia defeated Andorra 2-0.

Referees: Milorad Mazic, Milovan Ristic, Dalibor Djurdjevıc (Serbia)

Turkey: Onur Recep Kıvrak, Gökhan Gönül, Bekir İrtegün, Semih Kaya, Hasan Ali Kaldırım, Arda Turan, Selçuk İnan, Nuri Şahin (Min. 90 Kerim Koyunlu), Alper Potuk (Min. 70 Hamit Altıntop), Umut Bulut (Min. 80 Mevlüt Erdinç), Burak Yılmaz

Hungary: Kiraly, Vanczak, Kadar, Varga, Meszaros, Korcsmar (Min. 46 Guzmics), Dzsudszak, Koman, Pinter, Hajnal (Min. 68 Böde), Szalai (Min. 78 Elek)
Goals: Min. 63 Burak Yılmaz (Turkey), Min. 71 Bode (Hungary)

Yellow Cards: Min. 48 Varga, Min. 58 Dzsudzsak, Min. 75 Bode, 90+2 Kiraly (Hungary), Min. 59 Bekir İrtegün, Min. 87 Burak Yılmaz (Turkey)

 FIFA 2014 World Cup European Qualifications Group D Standings:

Teams	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1.NETHERLANDS	6	6	0	0	20	2	18
2.HUNGARY	6	3	2	1	13	8	11
3.ROMANIA	6	3	1	2	10	10	10
4.TURKEY	6	2	1	3	7	7	7
5.ESTONIA	6	2	0	4	3	9	6
6.ANDORRA	6	0	0	6	0	17	0

 Turkey  needs miracles to go to World Cup 2014 Tournament in Brazil , now !

Abdullah Avci did  not serve what he promised , when he took over from Guss Hiddink !

He spoke way too early, in my opinion !