Galatasaray can move into the top eight of the UEFA Champions League standings with a victory over Belgian side Union SG at Rams Park on Tuesday evening.
The Turkish giants sit ninth with nine points, and three more would allow them to join the leading pack, even if only briefly.
Match preview
Galatasaray have responded impressively to their heavy 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday one, collecting successive wins over Liverpool (1-0), Bodo/Glimt (3-1) and Ajax (3-0).
Remarkably, that is already as many victories as Cimbom managed in their previous 33 Champions League group-stage fixtures combined – now, they have the opportunity to win four consecutive matches in the competition proper for the first time in their history.
Okan Buruk’s men also returned to league duties in positive fashion at the weekend, defeating Genclerbirligi 3-2 after their first domestic loss of the season before the international break, a result that should boost confidence further ahead of this European outing.
Rams Park remains a fortress, with Galatasaray unbeaten there since August 2024 (24W, 9W) – two of those victories have come in this season’s Champions League, and they now have the chance to win three home matches in the same UCL campaign for the first time since 2000-01, when they reached the quarter-finals.
This is the first-ever meeting between Galatasaray and Union SG, though the hosts will be cautious, having never defeated Belgian opposition in European competition (4D, 4L) and have drawn all three home fixtures against such sides in the Champions League.
© Iconsport / Belga
Union SG have endured a difficult start to the Champions League, losing their last three matches heavily to Newcastle (4-0), Inter Milan (4-0) and Atletico Madrid (3-1) after opening with a 3-1 victory over PSV.
However, their wider form has been far more encouraging, with the Belgian first division leaders arriving with just one defeat in their last six matches across all competitions (4W, 1D), with the only loss coming away to Atletico in Europe.
Domestically, Union have been strong and consistent, most recently beating Cercle Brugge 2-0 on Saturday to maintain their place at the top of the Belgian First Division.
Encouragingly for them, their last two European victories have both come away from home, a trend they will hope to extend in Istanbul.
Galatasaray Champions League form:
Galatasaray form (all competitions):
Union SG Champions League form:
Union SG form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago / Seskim Photo
Galatasaray’s weekend win came at a cost, with Wilfried Singo, Mario Lemina and Yusuf Demir all substituted due to injuries and doubtful for Tuesday’s clash.
They join an already sizeable list of absentees, including Victor Osimhen (hamstring), Yunus Akgun (groin), Berkan Kutlu and Kaan Ayhan (both unspecified).
Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci have been handed suspensions after being found guilty of betting violations within Turkish football, ruling them out for the foreseeable future.
Union SG also suffered an injury blow at the weekend, with Fedde Leysen forced off in the win over Cercle Brugge, joining Mohammed Fuseini (ankle), Guillaume Francois, Ivan Pavlic and Jens Teunckens on the sidelines.
Raul Florucz has been a bright spark in Europe, scoring three goals in four appearances, and the Austrian winger will hope to offer an impact once again, whether from the start or off the bench.
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Unyay, Bardakci, Sanchez, Karatas; Torreira, Gundogan; Sane, Sara, Sallai; Yilmaz
Union SG possible starting lineup:
Scherpen; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Patris, Schoofs, Zorgane, Khalaily; Rodriguez; Akinpelu, van de Perre
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We say: Galatasaray 3-1 Union SG
Galatasaray come into this clash in strong Champions League form and with formidable momentum at Rams Park, where they have been unbeaten for well over a year.
Union SG are dangerous on their day and have shown resilience domestically, but their struggles in Europe – particularly defensively – make this a tough assignment in Istanbul.
With Cimbom scoring freely and Union vulnerable on the road at this level, the hosts look well placed to claim another important Champions League victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
