Champions League Matchday 2: Galatasaray vs Barcelona facts

After losing their opening UEFA Champions League fixture, Galatasaray will aim to get back on track on home soil in Istanbul on Matchday 2 as they welcome a Barcelona side who recorded an impressive first result.

Previous meetings

Barcelona and Galatasaray have met ten times with Barça winning six, drawing three and losing only once – 1-2 away in the Champions League group stage in November 1994. Current Gala coach Okan Buruk came off the bench in that fixture with his side 1-0 down.

The teams' most recent fixtures came in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League round of 16, a 0-0 draw in Spain preceding a 2-1 Barcelona victory in Türkiye in which Pedri scored the visitors' first goal.

Galatasaray have won only one of their last 22 matches against Spanish opponents (D6 L15) and none of the last nine (D2 L7) since a 3-2 home victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2013. They drew 1-1 at home to Atlético de Madrid in the most recent, on Matchday 7 last season.

Barcelona are unbeaten in nine matches against Turkish clubs (W7 D2), since a 3-0 loss at Beşiktaş in the Champions League first group stage in September 2000. Their last six games against Turkish teams have all involved Gala.

Barça have won their last four away matches against Turkish opponents.

Form guide

Galatasaray

This is Galatasaray's 19th participation in the Champions League proper – more than every other Turkish club combined – but only a third in seven seasons.

In 2025/26, Gala ended a run of five successive group stage eliminations by finishing 20th in the league phase (W3 D1 L4), beating Juventus in the knockout phase play-offs (5-2 h, 2-3 a aet) before losing 1-4 on aggregate to Liverpool in the last 16. It was the first time they had reached the knockout rounds since 2013/14.

Barcelona

This is Barcelona's 31st campaign in the Champions League proper, a competition record they share with Real Madrid. They have featured every season since 2003/04.

Fifth in last season's league phase (W5 D1 L2), Hansi Flick's side went on to beat Newcastle United (8-3 aggregate) in the round of 16 before a 2-3 loss in an all-Spanish quarter-final against Atlético de Madrid.

 Links and trivia

Galatasaray midfielder İlkay Gündoğan scored five times in 51 appearances for Barcelona in 2023/24, his sole season with the club.

Gündoğan was also a Manchester City team-mate of João Cancelo, Rodri and Gabriel Jesus.

Beaten 3-1 at Sporting CP on Matchday 1, Galatasaray are without a win in their last five league phase fixtures (D1 L4).

At home, however, it is one defeat in Gala's last 11 European games (W7 D3).

None of Galatasaray's last 40 games in UEFA competition finished goalless.

Barcelona have lost only two of their last 16 league phase matches, winning 12 – including 5-1 at home to Feyenoord on Matchday 1.

None of Barça's last 44 Champions League matches finished goalless.

Indeed, Barcelona's last 31 games in the competition have produced 141 goals, an average of 4.55 per game.

The Catalan club have not kept a clean sheet in their last 16 Champions League matches.

Raphinha's Matchday 1 double made his career total 21 Champions League goals, all in his last 24 appearances after he failed to score in his first ten.

Lamine Yamal was also on target against Feyenoord; he has scored 12 Champions League goals as a teenager, one short of the record held by Kylian Mbappé.

Karim Adeyemi has made 49 Champions League appearances, Matchday 1 to final.