Manchester United take on Galatasaray this week in the Champions League, a fixture which brings back memories.
This week’s Champions League fixture with Galatasaray evokes memories of clashes between the two teams in the mid-90s.
In the old European Cup format, United were eliminated by the Turks in a bad-tempered match, notorious for events off the pitch as on it. Sir Alex Ferguson got his revenge a couple of years later, with a heavy 4-0 win at Old Trafford.
Links between the clubs have popped up in recent years too, with former star Juan Mata spending last season with Galatasaray, while former winger Wilfried Zaha signed for them this summer and will be in the squad this week.
There is also a vaguely familiar face in the Galatasaray dugout, who once cost Manchester United.
Okan Buruk led Istanbul Basaksehir to win
Galatasaray are led by manager Okan Buruk, who was appointed as Galatasaray manager in 2022.
Prior to this, Buruk was manager at Istanbul Basaksehir, which saw him take on Manchester United in 2020 in the Champions League group stages.
This included a surprise 2-1 win for the Turkish side in their home fixture, stunning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, who were riding high after beating PSG 2-1 and RB Leipzig 5-0.
It was a defeat which ultimately proved costly, with United eliminated in the group stages. The match was sadly memorable for some terribly naive defending from Solskjaer’s side.
The win was a real feather in the cap for Buruk, who enhanced his own reputation by beating one of Europe’s biggest sides.
United won home game easily
The other match between the two teams was at Old Trafford, with Manchester United winning quite easily, a 4-1 scoreline.
Bruno Fernandes scored twice, Marcus Rashford netted a penalty, and Dan James added a fourth.
Buruk won’t have fond memories of that night when he returns to Old Trafford this week.
Galatasaray will come to compete, and try and spring a surprise, however, their best hope to knock-off United will come in late November when United head to ‘Hell’ for the away fixture.
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