Galatasaray aims for win in Europa League
ISTANBUL
Galatasaray hosts Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur on Nov. 7 in the Europa League, hoping to end its opponent’s winning streak.
While Tottenham currently sits second in the 36-team table after winning all its three games, Galatasaray, with two wins and one draw, is only three places and two points further back in fifth spot.
Galatasaray followed a 3-1 home win over PAOK on matchday one, secured thanks to two goals in the final 15 minutes, by a 2-2 draw with Rigas FS on matchday two in which it threw away a two-goal lead in Latvia. The Süper Lig champion then came out on top in a seven-goal thriller with Elfsborg two weeks ago, winning 4-3 on home soil.
Okan Buruk's side has since extended its unbeaten run across all competitions to 11 matches, winning nine of them, after beating Istanbul rival Beşiktaş 2-1 at Rams Park in a league match on Oct. 28, extending its stay atop the standings.
Galatasaray must now shift its focus to the Europa League and will endeavor to boost its hopes of reaching the knockout rounds for the third time in four years with a victory against Tottenham on Nov. 7.
Success against English opposition has been hard to come by for Galatasaray, though, as it has won just one of its last six such meetings: A 3-2 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in last season's Champions League.
Galatasaray is certainly dangerous in attack. The club is the joint-top scorer in this season's league phase, level with Lazio on nine goals.
Yunus Akgün has scored in all three of its Europa League games so far, while summer arrival Victor Osimhen is building up an exciting rapport with Mauro Icardi.
"Playing with Icardi is very exciting," said Osimhen after their 4-3 win against Elfsborg. "I enjoy it a lot. We understand each other."
Tottenham, meanwhile, is aware of a tough challenge but hopeful for a victory.
"We know we are going to meet a tough team in a tough stadium," defender Radu Dragusin told UEFA.com.
"But hopefully we can keep playing our football and get the win.”
Also on Nov. 7 in the Europa League, Fenerbahçe will travel to AZ Alkmaar.
Two draws and one win in three matches left the Istanbul club in the 14th spot in the standings, desperately needing a win in the Netherlands to climb up to the top eight places for a direct spot in the round of last 16.
The club’s Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, will not be on the sidelines against AZ Alkmaar after being banned for one match by the UEFA for receiving a red card in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Oct. 24.
Elsewhere, Ruud van Nistelrooy's penultimate game in interim charge of Manchester United will take place when the Red Devils welcome Greek outfit PAOK to Old Trafford.
The two teams will meet for the first time in their history and are both still searching for their first victory in this season's competition.
