Galatasaray vs Man United facts

Galatasaray and Manchester United meet in Istanbul for what could prove to be a pivotal Group A encounter on UEFA Champions League Matchday 5.

With Bayern München already confirmed as section winners, the race is on for second place and Gala are level with Copenhagen on four points, one ahead of United.

Three of the Turkish team's total came from a dramatic 3-2 win at Old Trafford on Matchday 2 – Galatasaray's first victory in England. That was one of three defeats United have suffered in the section, including 4-3 reverses in both away games to date, at Bayern on Matchday 1 and Copenhagen last time out.

Previous meetings 

Galatasaray wins 2
Manchester United wins 2
Draws 3
Galatasaray goals 7
Manchester United goals 2

Galatasaray claimed a first win in England on Matchday 2, Mauro Icardi's 81st-minute strike earning a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford. Former United winger Wilfried Zaha had given the visitors a 23rd-minute lead but two Rasmus Højlund goals (17, 67) looked to have turned the match in the home side's favour only for Kerem Aktürkoğlu to level with 19 minutes left to set the stage for Icardi's dramatic late strike.

All seven 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

Galatasaray

Record vs English clubs: W4 D8 L10 F22 A41
Home record vs English clubs: W3 D4 L3

Matchday 2 was 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 that made it three successive defeats by Premier League opponents.

That ended Gala's five-match unbeaten home run against English visitors (W3 D2).

Cimbon suffered their joint heaviest home European defeat against a Premier League club, a 5-0 loss to Chelsea in the 1999/2000 Champions League first group stage.

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 Türkiye 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.

Having kicked off the group stage with a 2-2 draw at home to Copenhagen – scoring twice in the final five minutes to salvage a point – Gala then won at United but have lost the last two, 3-1 at home and 2-1 away to Bayern.

The win in Manchester ended Gala's run of 12 Champions League group games without a victory (D4 L8) and was their first in the competition proper since a 3-0 home success against Lokomotiv Moskva in their opening game of the 2018/19 competition.

The Matchday 3 defeat by Bayern was only Cimbon's second in their last 11 home European matches (W6 D3).

Galatasaray have, however, managed only two victories in their last 15 home matches in the Champions League, group stage to final (D6 L7).

Manchester United

Record vs Turkish clubs: W9 D3 L7 F33 A20
Away record vs Turkish clubs: W3 D2 L4

This is United's first trip to Türkiye since a 2-1 loss at İstanbul Başakşehir on Matchday 4 of the 2020/21 Champions League.

That made it three successive defeats away to Turkish teams since United's last win, a 3-0 success at Bursaspor on Matchday 4 in 2010/11.

Home and away, United have lost three of their last four games against Turkish clubs, the exception a 4-1 home win against İstanbul Başakşehir in November 2020.

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).

Erik ten Hag's team took part in the 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).

The defeat at Sevilla ended United's eight-match unbeaten run in European away games (W5 D3); however, a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Matchday 5 in 2020/21 is their only success in their last eight away Champions League matches (D2 L5).

United's only victory in this season's Champions League is the 1-0 home win against Copenhagen on Matchday 3, in which goalkeeper André Onana saved an added-time penalty.

Højlund has scored five goals in this season's group stage, level with Álvaro Morata as top scorer after Matchday 4.

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.

Links and trivia

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

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

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

Galatasaray 

Galatasaray's record this season in all competitions is W17 D3 L3.

The Istanbul club were 4-0 winners at home to Alanyaspor on Saturday, Dries Mertens scoring twice for his first league goals since 18 April and Mauro Icardi and Wilfried Zaha also on target.

Icardi ended a run of four Galatasaray games without a goal. He has nevertheless got 11 of Galatasaray's 26 league goals in 2023/24 and has now registered 16 goals in 21 matches in all competitions this season.

The Argentinian scored in 12 successive starts for his club, running up 17 goals, before drawing a blank against Copenhagen on Matchday 1. He has scored in seven of his 12 appearances since, a total of eight goals.

The Turkish side were unbeaten in their first 17 games in 2023/24 but have now suffered three defeats in their last six matches in all competitions.

Gala suffered their first league loss of the campaign on 11 November, going down 2-1 at Hatayspor.

Zaha has four goals in Galatasaray's last three league games. Having got both in a 2-1 home victory against Kasımpaşa on 3 November, he then got the equaliser in the eventual defeat at Hatayspor. Zaha is now Galatasaray's second top goalscorer behind Icardi with five goals.

The Istanbul club's ten-match winning streak in the league ended at Hatayspor. It was the first league game Galatasaray had failed to win since a goalless draw at Kayserispor on 12 August, the opening weekend of the new Turkish season.

Galatasaray have won 15 of their last 19 matches in all competitions.

Sérgio Oliveira scored the only goal at Çaykur Rizespor on 28 October, his first in the league this season.

Goalkeeper Günay Güvenç made his Galatasaray debut as a substitute against Kasımpaşa at the age of 32 after Fernando Muslera was forced off by an elbow injury, although the Uruguayan recovered to play the next two games.

The Istanbul club have kept ten clean sheets in their 23 games in 2023/24.

Galatasaray have scored 26 goals in the league and let in just eight, the joint best defensive record in Turkish Super League alongside Fenerbahçe.*

The defeat by Bayern on Matchday 3 ended Cimbom's 23-match unbeaten run, winning 20, since a 3-1 loss at Beşiktaş on 30 April. That was Galatasaray's only loss in their 22 league fixtures (W19 D2) before they were beaten at Hatayspor.

Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Kerem Aktürkoğlu all started with Kaan Ayhan coming on as a substitute in a 1-1 draw in Wales on 21 November in Türkiye's final UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier. Türkiye finished top of their qualifying section for the first time.

Kaan Ayhan had captained Türkiye in a 3-2 friendly win away to Germany in Berlin on 18 November. Abdülkerim was in the starting XI, while Kerem and Barış Alper came on in the second half.

Hakim Ziyech scored Morocco's opening goal in a 2-0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying win against Tanzania on 21 November.

Manchester United

United's record in this season's Premier League is W8 L5.

Erik ten Hag's side were 3-0 winners at Everton on Sunday, including a stunning overhead effort from Alejandro Garnacho. Marcus Rashford converted a penalty, his first league goal since 3 September, Anthony Martial rounding off the win with his first league goal of the season.

United have kept three successive clean sheets in the Premier League, their longest run since February-March 2021. They have not conceded a league goal in 326 minutes.

The Red Devils have won five of their last six league games, the exception a 3-0 derby loss at home to Manchester City on 29 October.

United were 1-0 winners at home to Luton on 11 November thanks to Victor Lindelöf's first Premier League goal since 20 December 2020 and just his fourth in 170 league games for the club.

On 4 November an added-time Bruno Fernandes strike gave United a 1-0 win at Fulham. It was the ninth time they have won a Premier League match with a goal in the 90th minute or later; only Liverpool, with ten, have more.

Before Sunday, all of the Red Devils' previous eight Premier League wins had been by a one-goal margin.

Five defeats in their first ten league games was the most United had suffered at that stage of a season since since 1986/87, when they were beaten six times.

Ten Hag's side have won ten matches in 2023/24, losing the other nine including three of the last six.

United lost three of their first five league matches for the first time since 1989/90 and, before keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Burnley on 23 September, had conceded at least twice in four successive Premier League games, equalling United's longest run in the competition from 2001.

United's 28 goals this season have been scored by 15 different players.

Rasmus Højlund is the team's leading scorer in all competitions in 2023/24 with five goals, one more than Casemiro and Fernandes. Scott McTominay has three Premier League goals, level with Fernandes – only Rashford, with two, has also scored more than once in the league this season.

The Red Devils lost 3-0 at home to Newcastle in the English League Cup fourth round on 1 November. That was United's fifth home defeat of the season – three more than in the whole of 2022/23.

It was also the first time United had lost consecutive home games by three or more goals since October 1962, and the first time they had lost five of the first ten at home since 1930/31.

United lost eight of their first 15 games in a season for the first time since suffering nine defeats in 1962/63.

Luke Shaw started on Sunday having not played since suffering a muscle injury in a 2-0 loss at Tottenham on 19 August.

Eighteen-year-old Kobbie Mainoo made his first Premier League start at Everton having recovered from an ankle injury suffered in pre-season.

Casemiro started against Newcastle having not played since picking up an ankle injury in Brazil's 2-0 defeat against Uruguay on 17 October but was withdrawn at half-time with a hamstring injury that United said will keep him out "for a number of weeks".

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".

Tyrell Malacia has not played this season due to a knee injury.

Jonny Evans has not played since going off with a thigh injury early on Matchday 4.

Christian Eriksen was ruled out for a month after suffering a knee injury in a 1-0 home win against Luton on 11 November.

Højlund suffered a muscle injury in the same game and has not played since.