Closed Galatasaray v Chelsea

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

I think the key to win this game is to win the battles in midfield and be quick on the counter.

I would lineup the following team and I would expect a comfortable win. 2-0 Chelsea.

Eto'o

Hazard Willian

Lampard - Luiz - Ramires

Azpi - JT - Cahill - Iva

Cech

I agree midfield is key not just in this game but in any game. But it seems that Mikel and Luiz are both questionable to play due to injuries. Mata is out. So i think that battle of midfield will be very interesting without our holding players

[Liquidator 5,176]

Classy bunch on Twitter offering to meet our travelling fans at the airport for a fight, telling them they will kill them and rape their families and laughing at the fact they killed 2 Leeds fans. Proper, proper scum.

[Jase 43,479]

Galatasaray's Didier Drogba trains Champions League sights on Chelsea

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Classy bunch on Twitter offering to meet our travelling fans at the airport for a fight, telling them they will kill them and rape their families and laughing at the fact they killed 2 Leeds fans. Proper, proper scum.

That doesn't sound like football no more. Strange how violent people can get over a football game.

[Liquidator 5,176]

That doesn't sound like football no more. Strange how violent people can get over a football game.

Agreed. Absolutely vile some of the stuff they've been saying this evening.

[Sovieticus 743]

That doesn't sound like football no more. Strange how violent people can get over a football game.

More like barbarians to me.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

More like barbarians to me.

I completely get it man. But honestly I have no clue what gets people to that level. It is a game. I have been watching soccer ever since I was 9 yrs old. I love the game. Loved the challenge and the thrill as a fan and as an amature. Loved winning and hated losing. But never to an extent to "kill" or "rape" opponents or rival teams. Such behavior reflects a lot of sickness in people who take it to such extreme low levels.

[Charlie C 19]

Gala fans raiding here in 3,2,1.......

Calm your tits mate

Don't want to play a game where Matic isn't involved.

Could just go with the same team that played against Arsenal in December, look to keep it tight and hit them on the break.

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpi

Ramires Mikel Lampard

Willian Torres Hazard

Yay...a team with Mikel in it. Could throw Luiz in the middle instead of one of Lamps or Mikel. Bizarrely disinterested in this match, mostly because I'd like to see us focus on being the best in England this season.

I'm wondering why Oscar should not play ? I don't really follow Chelsea recently. Did more in 11/12 and 12/13. But Oscar made a great impact in the international games I think.

And as far as I know Mou, he's gonna play his classic 4231.

Something like this would be nice:

Never gonna happen again. But that result made Galatasaray stronger and win the UEFA Cup that season, which is still up to now our greatest achievement internationally. Not to forget the Super Cup in that very same year against Real Madrid which was won by a golden goal by Jardel. But those times are over, so gotta look forward

From I saw from them in the group stage, they're a pretty physical team which might be a problem if we allow them to play the way they want to play. On the other hand, they're rather slow and will struggle to deal with our AMs.

I would say that our team is physically strong. Yes that's true, but I wouldn't say that our players are really slow. The only ones on the field would be Drogba and Selcuk. Our players are quite fast depending on their positions. Our main problem is to switch from defense to offense and the other way round. But under Mancini this has ben greatly solved. But under Terim that was working really badly and was the reason why we conceded 6 against Madrid.

Just watched the Galatasaray - Besiktas match. Galatasaray were bloody awful. Anything less than a win is a poor result for us.

Trust me, that match has nothing to say about the current form of our team. It's obvious that the team is focused on the Chelsea match. I would say it's rather great, that we could take the 3 points without playing great.

it feels like ages since we last played in a CL knockout stage

I remember very well, but Drogba does better. Gon' be weird to see him playing against you.

do these mongs Chelsea. Pricks have been vandalizing the areas around Stamford Bridge with their shit graffiti saying 'Think twice about going to Istanbul' and 'Be afraid, Gala are coming', 'Gala hooligans'. Absolute bunch of mongs.

Calm your tits, Galatasaray fans are known for intimidating their opponents' players and fans. It's just a part of the big game. That kind of stuff makes me actually really get excited. And that's what the CL is, right ?

[Charlie C 19]

This. I wish for a deja vu of the 1-6 spanking they got by Real. Humiliate them at their own sh*thole of a backyard. I still remember what a nuisance they were after the draw on this site, the facebook page, etc.

Look, Fatih Terim played a really offensive football. He was the kind of a coach who had the philosophy that his team always has to play attacking football. And we did it actually really great. Even in that Madrid match, we deserved to be at least 1-0 or even 2-0 up the first 30 minutes. Then we conceded and Madrid played a counterattacking football from another level, we couldn't swith from offense to defense, and we got raped. But that's not gonna happen under Mancini. This is why I love Italian coaches. And I don't think that any of the both teams is gonna score more than 2 goals.

Lol at Galatasaray supporters thinking players are scared of them.

It's all about intimidating. You can't deny that there's an impact. How much depends on the experience of the player.

Shitting a brick right here...

Well, a regular Chelsea fan has nothing to fear. This is rather addressed at the hooligans. After the Leeds incident, a lot of CFC hools traveled to Copenhagen to fight Galatasaray fans along with the Arsenal and Leeds supporters. This is still not forgotten by old school Gala fans. But like I said , regular fans have nothing to be feared of.

Only 600 km between Bucharest and Istanbul (7 hour drive) and I'll be in the stands for this one. Buzzing My uncle works for a company that has, among others, Galatasaray and Bayer Leverkusen as their partners and got me four tickets.

Mancini really improved their defence since he signed for Galatasaray. An italian coach vs Mourinho should result in a low-scoring affair. I'm hoping for a 0-1, 0-2 (1-1 would not be bad either)

-------------Eto'o-------------

Schurrle-------------Hazard

-------------Willian-----------

----------Luiz----Rami-------

Azpi---JT--Cahill--Ivanovic

-------------Cech-------------

Mate, you are Romanian and you are not for Galatasaray ?

Don't forget Hagi !

Classy bunch on Twitter offering to meet our travelling fans at the airport for a fight, telling them they will kill them and rape their families and laughing at the fact they killed 2 Leeds fans. Proper, proper scum.

Well, that's really a shame. But since that Leeds incident, there's such a hate towards English supporters in Turkey. It's mainly because English supporters did whatever they wanted in the country where they traveled. And Leeds fans that day provoked Galatasaray supporters and locals. It was an unintended consequence. And since that day Galatasaray fans feel offended by English away fans in Istanbul.

I'm not saying it's right what they are doing, but I want to explain why there's such a hate towards English supporters.

I tried to clarify a bit here mates. I hope that there will be no negative headlines and that it's gonna be only about football.

And I beg you to stop that racism like calling us Turks kebabs or mongs or whatever. You should really stop that. Chelsea is a team owned by a Russian, coached by a Portuguese with players who're Muslim, Christian, Christ.-Orthodox. And here are supporters from all around the world. And even me, I like Chelsea, and if you look when I registered, you'll see, it's way back before the draw.

Nevertheless,

FORZA GALATASARAY !

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

I tried to clarify a bit here mates. I hope that there will be no negative headlines and that it's gonna be only about football.

And I beg you to stop that racism like calling us Turks kebabs or mongs or whatever. You should really stop that. Chelsea is a team owned by a Russian, coached by a Portuguese with players who're Muslim, Christian, Christ.-Orthodox. And here are supporters from all around the world. And even me, I like Chelsea, and if you look when I registered, you'll see, it's way back before the draw.

Nevertheless,

FORZA GALATASARAY !

Mate I agree with when you say stop calling Turks kebabs and mongs etc. However you seem like a guy excited by the intimidations and stuff. Vandalism isn't part of the game though. Threats aren't either. I understand playing mind games, putting pressure on your opponents or whatever. But come on, threats and vandalism is hardly excitement.

I just hope we would see a good match and as a Chelsea fan I hope we win.

[Barbara 15,149]

probably very unpopular opinion: I'm not up to the Drogba-everywhere-thing we have going on the forum now . As much as I love him and I'm grateful to him, he plays for the enemy now, the opponent and I'd show my respect, thankfulness and whats not in non-official competitions, but not now because Chelsea legend or not, he could cause us damage in those two matches. It's weird to see him in the banner at the top of every page as well as in the many avatars (as suggested). I don't know, as I said, unpopular opinion, I'd rather homage him after the two legs of the knock-out - regardless of which team goes through. If he's responsible for us losing the spot in the quarters it won't undo or tarnish any of the amazing things he did for us, but I'd rather celebrate him back at the bridge only after it. It's quite weird for me celebrate him prior to the matches...

[Viper22 2,418]

I completely get it man. But honestly I have no clue what gets people to that level. It is a game. I have been watching soccer ever since I was 9 yrs old. I love the game. Loved the challenge and the thrill as a fan and as an amature. Loved winning and hated losing. But never to an extent to "kill" or "rape" opponents or rival teams. Such behavior reflects a lot of sickness in people who take it to such extreme low levels.

These people are thugs and just want an excuse to fight. They're just using football as their platform. Ignore them, they're morons and you'll never understand them because you're not mentally deficient.

[Mr_President 404]

Hope the travelling Chelsea fans stay safe. Have been to Istanbul for the F1 a few years ago and it's a beautiful city but some of this nonsense from the Gala fans is going way too far. Football should be about football, not which fans can terrorise others etc.

[Zola's Flick 57]

I'm off to this, setting off tomorrow, staying there for a few days to make the most out of it. Hoping to watch the game and see the Blues win then off in to the city and nab a stripper if I'm lucky.

As for the match, I think it will be a draw. Is very rare you see English teams go to Turkey and get a positive result.

Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Mikel, Matic; Willian, Eto'o, Hazard is how I think we will line up.

At least one away goal please, even if we lose.

COME ON CHELSEA

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

probably very unpopular opinion: I'm not up to the Drogba-everywhere-thing we have going on the forum now . As much as I love him and I'm grateful to him, he plays for the enemy now, the opponent and I'd show my respect, thankfulness and whats not in non-official competitions, but not now because Chelsea legend or not, he could cause us damage in those two matches. It's weird to see him in the banner at the top of every page as well as in the many avatars (as suggested). I don't know, as I said, unpopular opinion, I'd rather homage him after the two legs of the knock-out - regardless of which team goes through. If he's responsible for us losing the spot in the quarters it won't undo or tarnish any of the amazing things he did for us, but I'd rather celebrate him back at the bridge only after it. It's quite weird for me celebrate him prior to the matches...

Reminds me of Beckham's return to Oldtraford and Ronaldinho to Camp Nou

[Barbara 15,149]

Your opinion, but here's mine:

I don't think Courtois is better than Cech yet. They're on the same level but Cech shades it because of experience for me.

Don't think Godin or Miranda are better than Cahill either, certainly not Cahill on recent form. They are at most on par.

Ramires is better than Mario Suarez and Babi, he's just not in form at the moment. I think he'd start over both.

Willian and Koke are different players, not sure why you're comparing them tbh.

We aren't just marginally better than Atletico, we're better full stop. Once you get down to squad depth too we're obviously ahead of them.

lol didn't even know there was a Babi player in Atletico until today (they were abysmal). Everyone in Brazil calls me Babi, so when I ran my eyes through the post you answered to for a second I thought the guy was being sarcastic and saying even I was better than Rami. hahahahahahahaha

And Atletico are just as overrated as City, except City are a better team, but they're very overrated.

Call me crazy, but I think our chances are better in UCL than in EPL, despite facing better teams in the former than in the latter.

We won't face a team parking the bus at home - and maybe not even at the Bridge - in UCL and those are the hardest kind of teams for us to play now.

We've proved we can face the top dogs (including Bayern) and that's the kind of teams we'll be facing if we qualify to quarters.

EPL will have some complicated teams where teams are just very well posted defensively against us - especially at the Bridge - and teams fighting relegation with tons of motivation that will certainly lead us to drop points. As we can't break defenses down, I think chances are we'll repeat a 2012 rather than a 2005.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

The team is being carried by the defense, Matic, Hazard and the manager. Nothing from the strikers, nothing from Oscar (what happened to you? Two assists (?!) in the league all season is a bloody joke, I'm sorry) or Willian (aside from graft, his numbers are awful. 2 goals and 1 assist in 13 starts), little from Ramires bar the last game. These guys need to step it up seriously, or we can kiss good-bye the opportunity of any silverware. Schurrle also needs to be integrated back into the starting XI. He looked sharp when he came on and I bet he's hungry to prove a point.

I'm not to excited about our chances in the CL this season, it's the league for me. The good thing about the league is that we have an important cog to this team, Matic, fresh to play because he will be cup-tied in the CL.

[Shane 2,275]

Don't know if i'll be able to handle seeing Drogba in a Gala shirt.

I just love him so much!