Galatasaray to face Chelsea

Galatasaray will face Jose Mourinho and Chelsea in the Round of 16 Champions League if it is to equal its feat of appearing in the tournament's quarterfinals for the second straight year after it was drawn to face the 2012 champions in the knockout round .
Mourinho's Real Madrid eliminated the Lions in the quarterfinals of last year's competition, and the famous Portuguese coach had expressed his desire to draw Galatasaray in the Round of 16 in this year's tournament so that he could again face one of his most famous protégés, Ivorian legend Didier Drogba.
Galatasaray will start the knockout stage at home in late February before traveling in early March for the away leg at Stamford Bridge in London.
The other draws are as follows: Barcelona-Manchester City, Manchester-United-Olympiakos, Atletico Madrid-AC Milan, PSG-Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid-Schalke, Borussia Dortmund-Zenit St. Petersburg and Bayern Munich-Arsenal.

Trabzonspor finishes on top !

Trabzonspor had a goalless draw against Lazio, finishing the group stage as the leader without any defeat in six matches in UEFA Europa League .

On Thursday ,Trabzonspor played against Lazio in an away  and match ended with 0-0 draw . 

Trabzonspor need it only a point and they got what they wished for! 

Both teams were already earned to play in the round of 32 draw, Lazio will finish in second place in the group J .

Trabzonspor finished in first place group stage with 16 points in six games, defending their unbeaten title in 14 matches in a row.

Trabzonspor coach Mustafa Resit Akcay said, they are very happy to finish on top of the group in the group J .

First year coach Mustafa Resit Akcay  said they are more focused to Europa league matches then Turkish Super League and they want to go further in the  Europa League ! 

Sneijder sends Galatasaray to best 16 in Europe !

Wesley Sneijder's  killer blow five minutes  to end , send Galatasaray into the round of 16 .....

Wesley Sneijder's late winner in snowy Istanbul sent Galatasaray into the Champions League last 16 and knocked their visitors Juventus out as they completed Tuesday's abandoned tie.

The Dutch midfielder latched onto Didier Drogba's flick to finish low into the net and secure second spot in Group B for Roberto Mancini's side.

The match restarted on 32 minutes.....

Juventus have won their last seven league games without conceding a goal and knew a point would be enough to secure qualification, with Turkish side Galatasaray needing victory.

And, on a pitch that had been cut up by efforts to clear Tuesday night's snow, the Serie A leaders looked to be heading into the knockout stages without too much drama, until Sneijder's late intervention.

The sides' final Group B clash at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium was stopped on Tuesday night with the scoreline 0-0, as increasingly heavy snowfall made playing conditions nearly impossible.

With the snow still falling and the pitch difficult to play on, both sides struggled to create too many clear-cut chances on Wednesday until Sneijder burst on to Drogba's towering flicked header.

Running away from goal, the midfielder sent a low shot across goal, through a defender's legs and into the bottom corner of the net to send the vocal home crowd into wild celebrations.

Juventus have to settle for a place in the Europa League after finishing third in the group.

Galatasaray vs Juventus match to resume Wednesday

The Champions League match between Galatasaray and Juventus was abandoned due to poor weather on Tuesday with the remaining 59 minutes to be played on Wednesday.

Play was halted in the 31st minute with the score at 0-0 as hail and snow began to fall heavily in Istanbul.

Both teams went back to the dressing room as groundsmen tried to clear the lines.

Half an hour later it was decided to postpone the Group B match after "both captains and the referee agreed that the pitch had become dangerous" according to a statement by European football's governing body UEFA.

UEFA later announced the match will kick off at 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) on Wednesday. ( 08:00 am ET ) 

UEFA had originally said it would restart at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) but Turkish police sought to have the match put back an hour for safety reasons.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/12/10/3151565/galatasaray-vs-juventus-abandoned.html#storylink=cpy

However, further snow is forecast.

Juventus needs a point to qualify for the knockout stage while Galatasaray must win to progress.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/12/10/3151565/galatasaray-vs-juventus-abandoned.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/12/10/3151565/galatasaray-vs-juventus-abandoned.html#storylink=cpy

1. Semih Kaya of Galatasaray (L) and Fernando Llorente of Juventus (R) collide during their Champions League soccer match in Istanbul December 10, 2013. The match has been postponed due adverse weather conditions and the 

   state of the pitch. Photo: REUTERS\\

2. 
   
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Do or Die Match for Galatasaray !

Win against Juventus on Tuesday will be good enough for Galatasaray to join Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League but coach Roberto Mancini knows it is not going to be easy.

A 4-1 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu a fortnight ago left the Turkish giants third in Group B, two points adrift of second-place Juventus heading into the decider at a sold-out Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.

Galatasaray are level on four points with Copenhagen but have a better goal-difference against the Danes, who host already-qualified Real Madrid in the other pool game.

"We have all to play for and we need to be calm and show focus."

"We play at home and in a game, anything can happen.

"We know it's going to be a very difficult match because Juve is a very good side.

"I think if we are fortunate like we were in the first leg (a 2-2 draw in Turin - Mancini's first game in charge of Galatasaray), and we limit mistakes, then we can do well and achieve our aim."

Galatasaray are in fourth place in the Turkish Super League, will be bolstered by the return of former Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and ex-Inter Milan forward Wesley Sneijder.

Muslera returned to action in Friday's 2-0 triumph against Elazigspor after being sidelined with a fractured toe since October 31.

Sneijder, meanwhile, has been out for a month with a recurring thigh injury but is set to play in support of lone striker Didier Drogba against Juve.

Juve's 3-1 triumph against Copenhagen on November 27 was the Italian champions' first win in the competition this season.

More importantly, it allowed Antonio Conte's men to keep their destiny entirely in their own hands heading into the final group game.

A draw in Turkey will be enough to see the Italians progress to the knockout stages.

"We cannot go there with fear but determined to win," striker Fernando Llorente said.

"If we control the game and if we give all that we have inside, then we can do it.

"Our journey in the competition has not been easy but we have recovered and we are one step away from achieving our aim."

Llorente will partner Carlos Tevez up front.

Juve warmed up for the encounter with Friday's 2-0 triumph at Bologna, their seventh straight Serie A victory. 

Galatasaray's Drogba and company will have the last word on the pitch with the help of 12th men in the stands ! 

Crucial Saturday and Sunday in the Turkish Super League !

My take.....

On, Fenerbahce vs Besiktas  clash in Kadikoy !

Fenerbahce team is red hot with impressive run in the last 12 matches...

10 wins, one draw and only one loss!

They have won their last five matches ....

And they have score 12 goal in their last five matches...

There is no problem with Fenerbahce scoring goals and playing full force in the 90 minutes match !

This year's Fenerbahce has looked very good as a team under Ersun Yanal...

They have struggled in the beginning but they are the best form team in the Turkish Super League!

The question is ....


Could Besiktas defense stop Fenerbahce and Besiktas  forwards  score on Fenerbahce?

Although Besiktas scored three goals against  weak Konya team , Fenerbahce will not give Besiktas that much of opportunity !

In the last five matches, Besiktas only won their last two and draw three of them !

A win for Besiktas in Kadikoy will stir things at on top.....

Fenerbahce is on top with 31 points and Besiktas is with 24 !
In between them , is Kasimpasa with 25 points...

And  on Sunday,Kasimpasa will host Galatasaray who has 22 points.....

That is why, Fenerbahce ,Besiktas match is huge on Saturday!

A draw will be better for Fenerbahce...

But, if Fenerbahce plays for a draw, they might just lose the match..

Two tactical coaches......

Yanal  vs  Bilic !

both of the coaches, will battle for a win on Saturday....

Who ever wins the match ,will win more then three points....

If you look at the form table, Fenerbahce should win ,but sometimes in the derby matches, that does not happen...

Fenerbahce with 12th man on their side, has the edge , but look for Besiktas to surprise Fenerbahce on Saturday in Kadikoy !

Lastly,  goal keepers could decide out come of this match....

That's the way I see it....

Ahmet  B  Turgut

Preview: Real Madrid v Galatasaray

Real Madrid are set to be without Cristiano Ronaldo as they look to seal top spot in UEFA Champions League Group B against Galatasaray.

Ronaldo returned from inspiring Portugal to FIFA World Cup qualification with his 25th club goal of an already remarkable season on Saturday, setting Real on the way to a 5-0 La Liga win at Almeria.

However, the Ballon d'Or hopeful hobbled out of that victory early in the second half, and Real confirmed on Monday that scans showed he had suffered a "lesion in the posterior part of the left thigh".

It is unclear exactly how long Ronaldo will be sidelined for, but the fact he is almost certain to miss Wednesday's clash at the Bernabeu bodes well for Galatasaray.

Galatasaray  were on the receiving end of a hat-trick by the 28-year-old as part of a 6-1 drubbing in the reverse fixture this term, while the forward also scored three times across two legs as Real prevailed in last season's quarter-final between the two sides.

Scoring contributions in each of his side's four Champions League matches this term means that Ronaldo has already matched the record of eight goals in the group stages, although his chances of bettering that mark may now be over.

A 4-0 triumph over Copenhagen and four points from two matches against Juventus means that Madrid only need a point to ensure qualification, but a shock defeat against Copenhagen on matchday four makes Galatasaray's situation far more trying.

Recently installed manager Roberto Mancini sees his side sitting second in the group on four points - level with the Danes and a point ahead of Juventus, who they host on the final matchday.

Ahead of a game that will be played on his 49th birthday, Mancini told UEFA.com: "Galatasaray are a very good team who have the potential to do well this season.

"It's never easy in the Champions League and our group is particularly tough. However, we can progress.

"I'm still confident of qualifying. We need to improve as a team but I am hopeful of a good result in our next game against Real Madrid.

"Then we will have everything to play for at home to Juventus on 10 December. As they say in football, never say never."