Galatasaray beset by German memories

Galatasaray AS coach Karl-Heinz Feldkamp and playmaker Lincoln may be haunted by German memories when they face Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Istanbul tonight.

German experience
The 73-year-old Feldkamp coached in his native Germany for two decades before leaving 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1992 for a first spell at Galatasaray. He will be eager to prove to his countrymen that – despite health concerns that forced him out of the game for a period – he remains capable of leading a team.

Not afraid
The former Rot-Weiss Essen player was calm as he looked forward to meeting Michael Skibbe's Leverkusen in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 first leg. "Leverkusen are in fine form and are in a good position [fourth] in the Bundesliga, but that shouldn't make us afraid of them," he said. "I think the chances are equal for both sides, though I would have preferred to play the first match in Germany.

Tactical thoughts
"We are playing a two-legged tie so tactics will be a big influence on these games," he added. "You have to think about extra time and penalties and make your plans accordingly. One of our targets will be not conceding a goal at home and stopping their counterattacks, because if you do that your own chances of scoring will be increased."

Lincoln fit
Lincoln may also feel he has a point to prove. The 29-year-old Brazilian, cleared to play following a knee injury, is keen to make amends for the events of 25 February 2007. Playing for FC Schalke 04, Lincoln was sent off for punching Leverkusen captain Bernd Schneider, being subsequently banned for five matches. His absence coincided with a slump for Schalke and some would argue that his departure for Galatasaray last summer resulted in part from criticism of his conduct. The former Kaiserslautern player should be joined in the home lineup by fit-again midfielder Ayhan Akman and forward Shabani Nonda.