Man United vs Galatasaray match facts

Manchester United will look to regroup after a Matchday 1 defeat as they play their first home game of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League Group A against a Galatasaray team buoyed by a late comeback in their Group A opener but who have never won in England.

Erik ten Hag's United went down 4-3 at Bayern München in their first fixture and Okan Buruk's Galatasaray had looked set to suffer the same fate as they trailed Copenhagen 2-0 going into the closing stages in Istanbul before late goals from Sacha Boey (86) and substitute Tetê (88) snatched a welcome point.

Previous meetings 

Manchester United wins 2
Galatasaray wins 1
Draws 3
Manchester United goals 8
Galatasaray goals 4

All six of the sides' previous fixtures have come in the Champions League, perhaps the most famous the first, when Galatasaray drew 3-3 at Old Trafford in the 1993/94 second round first leg with Kubilay Türkyilmaz scoring twice. The Turkish champions progressed to the group stage on away goals following a 0-0 draw in the second leg.

The teams were reunited in the following season's group stage, the game in Istanbul again ending scoreless before United ran out 4-0 winners at Old Trafford with David Beckham and Roy Keane among the goals.

Neither side progressed to the knockout rounds, however, United finishing third in Group A behind IFK Göteborg and Barcelona on six points, three above bottom side Galatasaray.

The teams were also paired together in the 2012/13 group stage, each winning 1-0 at home. Michael Carrick's seventh-minute strike gave United the points in Manchester on Matchday 1; Burak Yılmaz did likewise for Galatasaray in the 53rd minute of the Istanbul return on Matchday 5.

This time both progressed, United finishing top of Group H on 12 points, two more than Galatasaray. Both sides' campaigns were ended by Real Madrid, United's in the round of 16 (2-3 aggregate) and Galatasaray in the quarter-finals (3-5 agg).

Form guide

Manchester United

Record vs Turkish clubs: W9 D3 L6 F31 A17
Home record vs Turkish clubs: W6 D1 L2

This is United's first game against a Turkish team since a 4-1 win at home to İstanbul Başakşehir on Matchday 4 of the 2020/21 Champions League, a match in which Bruno Fernandes scored twice and Marcus Rashford converted a penalty.

That was the Red Devils' fourth successive home win against Turkish clubs.

Fenerbahçe's 1-0 win in Manchester in the 1996/97 Champions League group stage was United's first European defeat at Old Trafford.

This is United's 25th appearance in the Champions League group stage – more than any other English side and three behind the competition record of 28 held jointly by Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Red Devils last featured in 2021/22, when they finished first in their section ahead of Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys only to lose 2-1 on aggregate to Atlético de Madrid in the round of 16 (1-1 a, 0-1 h).

Ten Hag's team took part in the UEFA Europa League in 2022/23, finishing second in their section behind Real Sociedad and then beating Barcelona (2-2 a, 2-1 h) and Real Betis (4-1 h, 1-0 a) only to be eliminated in the quarter-finals by another Spanish side, eventual winners Sevilla (2-2 h, 0-3 a).

United won four of their six home games in last season's Europa League (D1 L1) and overall have lost only three of their last 22 European matches at Old Trafford, winning 15.

The 1-0 loss to Atlético in the 2021/22 round of 16 second leg is one of four defeats in United's last nine home UEFA Champions League games; they have been beaten in six of the last 13 in the competition at Old Trafford (W6 D1).

European champions in 1968 – winning at Wembley, the venue for this season's final – 1999 and 2008, United were also Champions League runners-up to Barcelona in both 2009 and 2011, the latter final also held at Wembley.

The Manchester club were third in the Premier League in 2022/23, 14 points behind champions Manchester City, who also beat their local rivals 2-1 in the FA Cup final.

Galatasaray

Record vs English clubs: W3 D8 L10 F19 A39
Away record vs English clubs: W0 D3 L7

This is Galatasaray's first game against an English club since a 4-1 home loss to Arsenal on Matchday 6 of the 2014/15 Champions League, making it three successive defeats by Premier League opponents.

A 4-1 loss in the reverse fixture in London also made it four successive defeats in England.

Galatasaray claimed their first European silverware against English opponents, beating Arsenal on penalties in the 2000 UEFA Cup final at Parken, the home ground of Group A opponents Copenhagen.

Galatasaray are making their 17th appearance in the Champions League group stage – as many as all the other Turkish clubs put together.

The Istanbul club last featured in 2019/20, when they finished fourth in their section on two points having failed to win a game (D2 L4).

Galatasaray are the only team from Turkey to have reached a European Cup semi-final, in 1989.

Gala, who did not feature in UEFA competition in 2022/23, were beaten 7-2 on aggregate by PSV Eindhoven in the 2021/22 Champions League second qualifying round but went on to reach the Europa League round of 16, losing 2-1 against Barcelona over two legs.

Champions of Türkiye for a record 23rd time in 2022/23, finishing eight points clear of second-placed Fenerbahçe, Gala began this season with a 2-2 draw at Lithuanian side Žalgiris in the Champions League second qualifying round first leg. They progressed with a 1-0 home victory before easing past Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia in the third qualifying round (3-0 a, 1-0 h).

The Turkish team scored in added time to win both legs against Norwegian champions Molde in the play-offs, a 3-2 away triumph in which Norway midfielder Fredrik Midtsjø scored the last-gasp winner preceding a 2-1 home success with Angeliño getting the decisive goal.

Galatasaray are unbeaten in nine away European games (W4 D5), since a 5-1 loss at PSV in the 2021/22 Champions League second qualifying round first leg.

The Turkish team have lost 14 of their last 17 away games (D3) in the Champions League, group stage to final, since a 3-2 win at Schalke in the 2012/13 round of 16 second leg.

Home and away, the Matchday 1 draw with Copenhagen made it 12 Champions League group games without a win for Gala (D4 L8), since a 3-0 home success against Lokomotiv Moskva in their opening game of the 2018/19 competition.

Links and trivia

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk missed the 1993/94 Champions League second round tie against United due to a broken tibia.

Wilfried Zaha signed for Manchester United from Crystal Palace in January 2013, moving to the club that summer. Zaha made his debut in the FA Community Shield win against Wigan but that was one of only four appearances for United before he rejoined Palace, initially on loan, in summer 2014.

Have also played in England:
Angeliño (Manchester City 2013–21)
Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham 2017–23)
Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea 2020–23)
Lucas Torreira (Arsenal 2018–22)
Tanguy Ndombélé (Tottenham 2019–)
Tetê (Leicester 2023 loan)

Part of Chelsea's victorious Champions League squad in 2020/21, Ziyech also scored in the UEFA Super Cup victory and appeared in the FIFA Club World Cup final win the following season.

Sánchez was part of the Tottenham squad that reached the 2018/19 Champions League final, making eight appearances in that season's competition.

Torreira appeared in Arsenal's 2018/19 UEFA Europa League final defeat by Chelsea in Baku and was part of the FA Cup-winning squad the following season.

Ndombélé is on loan at Galatasaray from Tottenham.

Have played together:
Jonny Evans & Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United 2013/14)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka & Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace 2018–19)
Diogo Dalot & Sérgio Oliveira (Porto 2017/18)
André Onana & Davinson Sánchez (Ajax 2017–18)
Christian Eriksen & Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham 2017–20)
Sergio Reguilón & Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham 2020–22)
André Onana & Hakim Ziyech (Ajax 2016–20)
Lisandro Martínez & Hakim Ziyech (Ajax 2019/20)
Mason Mount & Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea 2020–23)
Sofyan Amrabat & Lucas Torreira (Fiorentina 2021/22)
Bruno Fernandes & Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria 2016/17)
Sergio Reguilón & Tanguy Ndombélé (Tottenham 2020–21)
Christian Eriksen & Tanguy Ndombélé (Tottenham 2019/20)
Jonny Evans & Tetê (Leicester 2022/23)

International team-mates:
Facundo Pellistri & Fernando Muslera, Lucas Torreira (Uruguay)
Altay Bayındır & Kaan Ayhan, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Kazımcan Karataş, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz (Türkiye)
Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Højlund & Victor Nelsson (Denmark)
Raphaël Varane, Anthony Martial & Tanguy Ndombélé (France)
Sofyan Amrabat & Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes & Sérgio Oliveira (Portugal)

Luke Shaw and Zaha played together for England's Under-21 side.

Okan Buruk was in the Galatasaray team that beat Arsenal on penalties in the 2000 UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen. He had also played in both legs of the semi-final against Leeds and scored his final European goal in a 3-2 win against Liverpool in 2006/07 Champions League group stage.

Latest news

Manchester United

Summer transfers
In: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Jonny Evans (Leicester), André Onana (Inter), Rasmus Højlund (Atalanta), Altay Bayındır (Fenerbahçe), Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham, loan), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, loan)

Out: David de Gea (released), Axel Tuanzebe (released), Phil Jones (released), Alex Telles (Al-Nassr), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), Ethan Laird (Birmingham), Ethan Galbraith (Leyton Orient), Di'Shon Bernard (released), Charlie Savage (Reading), Fred (Fenerbahçe), Brandon Williams (Ipswich, loan), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Teden Mengi (Luton), Mason Greenwood (Getafe, loan), Álvaro Fernandez (Granada, loan), Eric Bailly (Beşiktaş)

United were beaten 1-0 at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday, their second successive home Premier League defeat for the first time since November 2021.

Nine points after seven games represents the Red Devils' worst start to a league campaign since 1989/90, when they had seven points at the same stage.

Erik ten Hag's side have lost four of their first seven Premier League games.

United ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions with a 1-0 win at Burnley on 23 September.

United lost three of their first five league matches for the first time since 1989/90 and before keeping a clean sheet at Burnley had conceded at least twice in four successive Premier League games, equalling United's longest run in the competition from 2001.

United's 13 goals this season have been scored by nine different players.

The Red Devils reached the last 16 of the English League Cup with a 3-0 defeat of Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on 26 September, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Martial both scoring their first goals of the season and Casemiro his fourth.

United will be at home to Newcastle in the fourth round in the week commencing 30 October.

Mason Mount returned to play the first half against Palace, his first appearance since going off with a thigh injury in a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham on 19 August, and also started on Saturday.

Sergio Reguilón has missed United's last two games with a minor injury.

Luke Shaw (muscle) has also not played since that Tottenham game.

Lisandro Martínez was out between 3 and 16 September with an ankle problem and has not played since Matchday 1 due to a foot injury that United confirmed on 29 September will keep him on the sidelines for "an extended period".

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been out since picking up a hamstring injury as a late substitute in a 3-1 home defeat by Brighton on 16 September.

Tyrell Malacia has not played this season due to a knee injury while Kobbie Mainoo has been out since suffering an ankle injury in pre-season.

Sofyan Amrabat made his United debut as a late substitute at Burnley and then started against Palace having recovered from a back injury he suffered on international duty.

Galatasaray

Summer transfers
In: Mauro Icardi (Paris), Kerem Demirbay (Bayer Leverkusen), Kaan Ayhan (Sassuolo), Angeliño (Leipzig, loan), Cédric Bakambu (Al-Nasr), Halil Dervisoglu (Brentford), Sirachan Nas (Ankaraspor, loaned to Samsunspor), Günay Güvenç (Gaziantep), Tetê (Shakhtar Donetsk), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea, loan), Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham), Tanguy Ndombélé (Tottenham, loan)

Out: Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Nicolò Zaniolo (Aston Villa, loan), Olimpiu Morutan (Ankaragücü), Yunus Akgün (Leicester, loan), Mathias Ross (NEC Nijmegen, loan), Emre Kilinc (Samsunspor), Okan Kocuk (Samsunspor), Bafétimbi Gomis (Kawasaki Front), Alpaslan Öztürk (Pendikspor), Emre Tasdemir (Pendikspor), Süleyman Luş (Corum), Asbussamed Karnucu (68 Aksaray Belediye), Atalay Babacan (Boluspor), Gökay Güney (Kirsehir), Alexandru Cicaldau (Konyaspor, loan), Yusuf Demir (Basel, loan), Taylan Antalyali (Samsunspor, loan), Batuhan Sen (Gaziantep, loan), Metehan Baltaci (Eyüpspor, loan), Kaan Arslan (Fethiyespor, loan), Berk Balaban (Isparta 32 Spor, loan), Juan Mata (released), Emin Bayram (Westerlo, loan), Fredrik Midtsjø (Pendikspor), Berkan Kutlu (Genoa, loan) Léo Dubois (Başakşehir, loan)

Galatasaray's record this season in all competitions is W11 D3. They have won nine of their last ten matches, beating Istanbulspor 0-1 away on 26 September and Ankaragücü 2-1 at home on Saturday.

Wilfried Zaha scored Gala's first goal at the weekend, his first for the club.

The Istanbul club have kept seven clean sheets in their 14 games in 2023/24, conceding 11 goals in total. Galatasaray have scored 14 goals in the league and let in just four.

Cimbom are now unbeaten in 20 games, winning 17, since a 3-1 loss at local rivals Beşiktaş on 30 April.

That defeat at Beşiktaş is Galatasaray's only loss in their last 18 league fixtures (W16 D2).

Mauro Icardi has scored seven of Galatasaray's 14 league goals in 2023/24. Icardi has now registered ten goals in 12 matches in all competitions so far this season.

The Argentinian scored in 12 successive starts for his club, running up 17 goals in those fixtures, before drawing a blank on Matchday 1. He found the net in his next appearances but did not score at the weekend.

Kerem Aktürkoğlu has registered three goals this season in the league, making him Galatasaray's second top goalscorer after Icardi.

Hakim Ziyech scored his first Galatasaray goal in a 2-1 away victory against İstanbul Başakşehir on 23 September, his first start for the club.

Brazilian winger Tetê set up Ziyech's goal, his first assist for Galatasaray.

Zaha returned as a second-half substitute against Copenhagen having been out with a muscle injury since coming on as a substitute against Kayserispor in the opening match of the season. He also came on in Gala's subsequent two games before making his first start on Saturday.