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UEFA Champions League

Welcome back to ‘Hell’: Man United braced for Galatasaray cauldron

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Champions League - Group A - Manchester United v Galatasaray - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 3, 2023 Galatasaray's Mauro Icardi misses from the penalty spot REUTERS/Carl Recine Acquire Licensing Rights

Thirty years after Manchester United left Galatasaray with their Champions League hopes in tatters on one of the most notorious nights in the club’s history, they will return to “hell” for another do-or-die clash on Nov 29.

The Red Devils sit bottom of Group A and will be eliminated if they lose to Galatasaray in their penultimate fixture.

It is a predicament that brings back painful memories for United players and fans who ran the gauntlet of hate in Istanbul back in 1993.

Finally crowned English champions the previous season, United were confident of a long run in their first European Cup campaign since 1969.

A surprise 3-3 draw against Galatasaray in the second-round, first leg at Old Trafford put that ambition in peril, but even then United were not fully aware of the cauldron that awaited them in Turkey.

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They were greeted at the airport by thousands of Galatasaray fans, one waving the infamous banner that said “Welcome to Hell”, while others threw missiles and menacingly drew their fingers across their throats.

Alex Ferguson, United’s manager then, described the intimidation as being “exposed to as much hostility and harassment I have ever known”.

The nightmare was only just beginning as United, clearly unsettled by the volcanic atmosphere in the Ali Sami Yen Stadium, failed to get the result they needed.

Galatasaray held on for the draw, knocking out United on away goals and sparking an appropriately chaotic finale.

United’s star striker Eric Cantona was attacked by a Turkish police officer wielding a truncheon after being sent off following the final whistle.

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When midfielder Bryan Robson tried to come to Cantona’s rescue, he was left with six stitches in a cut arm after being thrown down concrete steps that led to the dressing room.

“The hatred was unbelievable. Even the police started to pick fights with us,” United midfielder Paul Ince said.

Defender Gary Pallister said the atmosphere in United’s matches at Anfield, home of arch-rivals Liverpool, seemed like a “tea party” in comparison to Galatasaray’s.

United’s team bus was bombarded with bricks and rocks on the way out of the stadium, prompting Ferguson to exclaim: “I never want to go back there again.”

Fast forward 30 years, they are returning to Turkey but United manager Erik ten Hag believes his team can handle the hostility.

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“You could see that this team has personality and character in hostile environments, like in Copenhagen. We deal with it,” the 53-year-old Dutchman said.

“I feel quite comfortable (away from home). You have to stay calm in your head, don’t get too emotional. You have to control it.

“Don’t give them anything. We know how to deal with it, we know what we can do and we are confident. We have to make it our game.”

Captain Bruno Fernandes added: “We know that’s going to be tough, but we have to think that we can do it because we have done it in the past in difficult situations. Galatasaray away is going to be great, is going to be an amazing atmosphere. We prepare for that.”

Galatasaray have been a house of horrors for United, who have failed to win any of their three visits, losing their most recent encounter there 1-0 in the 2012-13 Champions League group stage.

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Although the Ali Sami Yen Stadium closed in 2011, there is little doubt Galatasaray fans can replicate the wall of sound that greeted United three decades ago when they meet at the 52,600-capacity RAMS Park.

Ten Hag’s side can take heart from the way they survived a hostile Goodison Park to beat Everton 3-0 in the English Premier League over the weekend.

He will also be boosted by the return of Rasmus Hojlund and Antony from injury, while Marcus Rashford is suspended. The Red Devils have won two in a row while keeping two clean sheets.

Emerging unscathed from their latest visit to the Galatasaray inferno would be another significant step in the right direction for the manager and his troubled team. AFP

-AFP

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

Osimhen and Aubameyang: Africa’s First Men of the Match in 2025/26 Champions League

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Osimhen and Aubameyang: Africa’s First Men of the Match in 2025/26 Champions League

The Champions League has barely started and already African fans have something to be proud of.

Two of the continent’s biggest names, Victor Osimhen from Nigeria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon, have become the first African players this season to be named Man of the Match.

For Osimhen, it was a night to remember in Istanbul. Galatasaray were up against Liverpool, a team with a European pedigree and needed someone to step up. Osimhen did just that.

 His goal gave Galatasaray a 1-0 win but it was more than just the goal. His energy and how he kept Liverpool’s defenders on their toes all night made him the best player on the pitch.

So his winning of the UEFA Man of the Match award. Galatasaray fans had proof they have a striker who can change games at the highest level.

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Meanwhile, on the same night in Marseille, Aubameyang was showing why he has been Africa’s most reliable goal scorer for over a decade.

At 36, some wondered if he still had it on nights like this. His answer was a thunderous “YES.”

Marseille tore Ajax apart in a 4–0 demolition that saw Aubameyang seal his stature as the orchestrator and heartbeat of the French club’s attack.

His movement, his composure and his leadership stood out. So much so that he too was rightfully awarded the Man of the Match.

The fact that these two happened on the same night made it even more special for African football fans.

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Osimhen represents the new generation: quick, hungry and with still a few years ahead to make history.

Aubameyang is the veteran still out there to prove – even though he really has nothing to prove anymore – that experience and class don’t fade easily.

Together, they gave African football fans a double reason to smile.

For Nigeria and Gabon, these awards are more than individual trophies. They are ultimately a reminder of how much African players contribute to the Champions League season in, season out.

And the tournament is still in its early stages. So there’s every chance more players from the continent will follow in their footsteps before the Budapest finale in 2026. Only good omens for the 2025 AFCON that starts in a few months.

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-Morocco World News

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UEFA Champions League

‘Special One’ Mourinho makes low-key, losing return to Chelsea

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UEFA Champions League - Chelsea v Benfica - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - September 30, 2025 Benfica coach Jose Mourinho reacts alongside Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

In his glory days, Jose Mourinho celebrated dramatic goals from his teams by sprinting down the touchline, sometimes sliding on his knees for extra euphoric effect.

On Tuesday, back at his former club Chelsea as the new coach of Benfica, Mourinho’s most eye-catching intervention was down the touchline again, but this time his run was to urge his team’s fans to stop hurling objects onto the pitch.

Benfica under Mourinho, in his fourth game in charge, were defeated 1-0 by an under-strength Chelsea side in the Champions League after a fist-half Richard Rios own goal.

The self-declared “Special One” was lauded by the home fans with a few choruses of “Jose Mou-rin-ho” in recognition of his successes – three Premier League titles and four other trophies – which no other Chelsea manager has come close to matching.

Mourinho, 62, acknowledged the chants with a gentle wave, got a cheer when he ventured onto the pitch to clear a spare ball and quickly vanished down the tunnel at the final whistle after shaking the hand of Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca.

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It was all a far cry from the fervour of 20 years ago when Mourinho – having led Porto to an unlikely Champions League triumph – turned Chelsea into English champions for the first time in 50 years in 2005 and won the title again a year later.

After a collapse of form, Mourinho departed in 2007 but he won the Champions League again, this time with Inter Milan in 2010, knocking out the Londoners on the way to the final.

He went on to manage Real Madrid before returning to Chelsea where he claimed a third English title and then had spells at Manchester United, London side Tottenham Hotspur – an unforgivable move for many Chelsea fans at the time – and Roma.

As the big offers dried up, Mourinho went on to coach Fenerbahce in Turkey where he lasted little more than a year before his return to Portuguese football with Benfica.

Asked after Tuesday’s defeat by Chelsea if he still had the drive of the early days of his career, Mourinho insisted he felt more motivated.

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“If I am in a job it’s because I like to put myself on the line every day,” he told reporters. “I am desperate to win the next match.”

Mourinho said he thought Benfica had deserved more from the game. “We started well, we controlled well. I don’t know if I can say big chances but we had chances for sure.”

Chelsea’s Maresca said he was relieved to secure a win – albeit a scrappy one – after two consecutive defeats in the Premier League and a 3-1 loss at Bayern Munich in the his side’s Champions League opener.

“Sometimes you need to learn to win in another way,” he said of Chelsea’s improved defensive performance. “At least we learned how to win a game with a red card.”

Striker Joao Pedro was dismissed for a second yellow card after coming on as a substitute, the third time in four matches that Chelsea have finished with 10 men

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Osimhen-less Galatasaray crumble miserably at Frankfurt

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Hosts Eintracht Frankfurt scored four times in 29 minutes to bounce back from a goal down and hammer Galatasaray 5-1 in their Champions League opener on Thursday.

The Turkish sides are without their talismanic striker, Victor Osimhen who was injured while on international duty with Nigeria.

The Turks had hit Frankfurt on the break with Yunus Akgun completing the move from a Leroy Sane assist in the eighth minute. Germany international Sane, who joined from Bayern Munich this season, became the only player in Champions League history to play for four or more clubs and score or assist on his debut for each of them.

Frankfurt, competing for only the second time in the Champions League main round, struggled to break through Galatasaray’s defence until a defensive error from Akgun in the 37th. Ritsu Doan pounced, charged into the box and Davinson Sanchez deflected the Japanese winger’s shot in for an own goal.

The hosts took the lead in first-half stoppage time when 19-year-old Turkey international Can Uzun scored a superb goal on his Champions League debut after fine control and a quick turn in the box. The hosts netted again before halftime with Jonathan Burkardt’s well-timed glancing header putting them 3-1 up.

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With the visitors forced to take more risks after the break, Frankfurt found space and Burkardt completed his dream Champions League debut with another header in the 66th for his second goal of the evening. Ansgar Knauff completed the rout in the 75th.

Frankfurt next travel to Atletico Madrid on September 30 when Galatasaray host Liverpool.

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