Galatasaray Chasing History: Third Straight UCL Win in Amsterdam Showdown with Struggling Ajax
Turkish champions Galatasaray travel to the Netherlands today for a crucial UEFA Champions League league phase encounter, seeking their third consecutive victory in the competition. The Lions face a struggling Ajax side at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, with kickoff set for 11:00 p.m. Türkiye time (8:00 p.m. GMT). The match will be overseen by French referee Benoît Bastien.
Momentum Favours the Lions
Galatasaray’s Champions League campaign began with a tough 5-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the Turkish side has since roared back, demonstrating resilience and quality. Consecutive wins—a tight 1-0 victory over Liverpool in Istanbul followed by a convincing 3-1 home win against Norway’s Bodø/Glimt—have propelled them to six points from three matches, putting them in a strong position in the league standings.
In stark contrast, opponents Ajax enter the fixture in crisis. The Dutch giants remain pointless after suffering heavy losses to Inter (2-0), Olympique Marseille (4-0), and Chelsea (5-1) in their opening group matches.
Osimhen Chasing More Records
The key factor driving Galatasaray’s recent success is the sensational form of star striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian forward enters the match having scored in an incredible seven consecutive European fixtures, a club record he cemented in the last match. With nine goals during that remarkable run, Osimhen will be the main threat to an out-of-form Ajax defense.
Historical Milestone on the Line
Should Galatasaray emerge victorious in Amsterdam, they will achieve a significant historical milestone: their first run of three successive Champions League victories since the 2012-2013 campaign under legendary coach Fatih Terim. That run saw the club defeat CFR Cluj, Manchester United, and Braga in successive group stage matches.
Team News and Absences
Galatasaray coach Domenico Tedesco will be without midfielder İlkay Gündoğan, who is still recovering from an injury sustained before the previous Bodø/Glimt match. However, there is positive news with defender Wilfried Singo returning to fitness and available for selection. The status of Yunus Akgün, who reported discomfort after the recent Trabzonspor fixture and missed a training session, will be assessed closer to kickoff.
Ajax faces an immediate disadvantage with Kenneth Taylor suspended after receiving a red card against Chelsea. The match-day availability of key players Steven Berghuis, Kasper Dolberg, and Branco van den Boomen remains uncertain and will be determined before the game.
Ajax in European Freefall
The statistics paint a grim picture for the hosts. Ajax currently sits at the bottom of the 36-team Champions League standings with zero points. Furthermore, the club is enduring a worrying six-match losing streak in European competition, during which they have conceded 19 goals while only scoring four. Alarmingly, the Dutch side has also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 competitive matches, providing a strong target for the prolific Osimhen and the confident Galatasaray attack.
