FC Barcelona have come to Istanbul and delivered a brutal second-half demolition job of Galatasaray, completing a 4-1 comeback win in Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.
The hosts welcomed the Catalan side with deafening noise and giant banners which warned of hell which awaited FC Barcelona in Istanbul. However Hansi Flick’s men had other plans as they came out on fire with Joao Cancelo scoring to equalize after 28 minutes and three other Barca players scoring three goals in 15 minutes of the second half, with Lamine Yamal leading feeding the scorers.
RAMS Park goes silent after early goal
Galatasaray came out swinging and managed to put together a well-worked counter-attack which saw Aleksandr Batrakov score what would prove the opening goal of the game in the 28th minute. It looked like the home fans’ boos and jeers were about to become a reality as they looked to smother their visitors in their own backyard.
However, a swift response from Barcelona sent shockwaves around the ground. The visitors, who had 65% possession and kept the ball in the Galatasaray half for long periods of the first half, equalized in the 43rd minute when Cancelo drove a glorious finish beyond the helpless Turkish goalkeeper.
Lamine Yamal goes ballistic in the second half
With the break time over, Hansi Flick’s men were on a mission. And they had Lamine Yamal on the attack. The 19-year-old was in his element, playing as the primary provider, switching play with ease and weaving his way past defenders like they were made of tissue paper.
Yamal opened the second-half goalscoring account for Barcelona when his corner was headed into the net by Fermin Lopez. He then dished out another glorious assist to Anthony Gordon, who scored with clinical ease in the 57th minute. And to finish things off, Karim Adeyemi came off the bench to net a stunning left-footed shot in the 65th minute.
Flick’s men leave with a statement of intent
With the final whistle blown, the numbers said it all. Barcelona had a 23 – 2 shot advantage with 11 shots on goal and 2.54 xG. They were just too good for the home side, who managed to get only two shots on target.
A visit to one of the most feared grounds in Europe, with the threat of the infamous Istanbul welcome, should have been enough to break most visiting teams’ spirits. But not this lot. It seems Flick has discovered a recipe for success as every player he brings on the field plays as if they have a personal vendetta against the opposition. And for Galatasaray, this is a taste of hell which they have inflicted upon themselves.
Add us as a preferred source on Google