Real Madrid C.F. - Galatasaray S.K. (Friendly) Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu

Today a match was played between the Galácticos, better know as Real Madrid C.F. versus The Lions, Galatasaray S.K. The friendly game took place in Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium and the winner would win the ''Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu''.

After a exciting first half with 1-1 on the scoreboard the match ended in a 2-1 loss for Galatasaray S.K..

First half:

• 10 minutes into the game and our new transfer from Arsenal F.C. Emmanuel Eboué booms his first match with 1 assist. He smartly leaves defender Sergio Ramos behind him, dashes into the penalty area and gives a clean pass to Selcuk Inan.
• Selcuk Inan immediately shoots with his left foot and it is 0-1 for Galatasaray S.K.. Of course it would also be unfair to let Colin-Kazim Richards first cross go unnoticed.
• I think a lot of supporters have seen the importance of Servet Cetin and thanks to this match we can easily say that we need a CB for when he is injured. But I believe we can handle the Spor Toto Super Lig with the reserves!
• In the 22nd minute Servet Cetin gets a minor injury and gets subsituted with Caglar Birinci. Fatih Terim lets Hakan Balta slide in the CB position and Caglar Birinci on the LB position.

1. 20 minutes later Real Madrid gets a free kick by a foul done by Tomas Ujfalusi. Xabi Alonso takes the free kick but Caglar Birinci ''who has not played enough games to handle this level of football'' forgets to mark his man. Sergio Ramos seizes the opportunity and heads it in for the Galácticos. 1-1 for Real Madrid C.F.

• Immediately it was noticable that Tomas Ujfalusi was used to the opponent and as his previous matches he succeeds with his nice crosses! Although he did  lose the ball a few times he is still in ''the good'' category for me!

1. Minute 43 and Real Madrid's Marcelo sends a through pass, where Angel Di Maria takes it and passes between the legs of our ''snail'' Gökhan Zan to Gonzalo Higuain. Higuain tries to move behind Fernando Muslera but fails to do so thanks to Muslera's long octopus arms!

• Felipe Melo a true warrior on the field and I love to watch him! In the 45th minute right after Emmanuel Eboué's minor Injury he did a little speech to the team and got mad at our defenders. He acted as if he was wearing the Captain's band. Ohh I wish he was! 

Ofcourse there will be a few discussion about if a foreigner or a player on loan should wear the captain's band but Felipe Melo looks like a true captain and in my  humble opinion he should wear the captain's band.

Second half:

1. In minute 50 Xabi Alonso give a well timed through ball and Karim Benzema is 1 on 1 with Fernando Muslera unfortunately this time Benzema succeeds to score and its 2-1 for Real Madrid C.F.

• In the 58th minute we swith our player with Ceyhun Gulselam, Engin Baytar and Ayhan Akman.
• Minute 60, Colin-Kazim Richards moves fast on the right flank and decides to give a cross instead of passing to one of 2 players whom are completely free! The cross hit the defenders and Adan kept it safely in his hands.
• Bringing to attention that I like the link between Çağlar Birinci and Engin Baytar, but Çağlar needs to level his defensive skills and be more focused! This will be a suprising left flank this season.
• Minute 75 and Aydin Yilmaz + Emre Colak gets in the game!
• In the corner for Real Madrid C.F. on the 89th minute Ayhan Akman and Sergio Ramos have a small chat about what hair products they use.
• In the final minutes Galatasaray S.K. gets 1 more opportunity to make the draw with Çağlar Birinci doing a Tikki Takki with Elmander leaving open space for Elmander to shoot, but this time Adan stretches his arms and saves the ball from going in to the net.

Yes the match ended 2-1 could we do any better? YES definitely this match really was a good test for the team and immediately it was noticable that Sabri Sarioglu is not fit for the CM position and the Captain's band! Milan Baros looks like he lost his touch but I do not want to speak to soon as we have many matches to go! Gokhan Zan as always stares down at the ball. Hakan Balta playing simple standard LB position with litte support to the attack!

But lets not be negative we made approx, 10 new transfers this summer and this is a whole new team! Even though nothing much changed in our defence, Our midfield is one of our strongest points and attack does well also, ofcourse when playing with the right players!

Anyhow I was satisfied with the match against Real Madrid C.F. but what makes me wonder is ; If Servet Cetin did not get injured and Sabri Sarioglu was replaced by lets say Yekta Kurtulus would we then have won? That is a question which wont be answered anymore!

Im proud at Galatasaray S.K. and will always support ''this'' board, coach and players!

''HAYDI BASTIR CIMBOMUM!!!.''

Match: Real Madrid C.F. 2 – 1 Galatasaray S.K. 
Place: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Date: 24.08.2011 Time: 22.30

Galatasaray S.K.:
Fernando Muslera, Tomas Ujfalusi (Min.92 Semih Kaya), Gökhan Zan, Servet Çetin(Min.28 Çağlar Birinci), Hakan Balta (Min.81 Emre Çolak), Felipe Melo (Min.60 Yekta Kurtulus), Selçuk İnan (Min.61 Ayhan Akman), Emannuel Eboué (Min.60 Engin Baytar), Sabri Sarıoğlu (Min.62 Ceyhun Gulselam), Kazım Kazım (Min.75 Aydin Yilmaz), Milan Baros (Min.50 Johan Elmander) 

Real Madrid C.F.:
Adan , Sergio Ramos, Pepe(Min.49 Raul Albiol), Raphael Varane (Min.49 Ricardo Carvalho), Marcelo (Min.86 Pedro Mendes), Xabi Alonso (Min.91 Nacho Fernandez), Fábio Coentrão (Min.75 Alvaro Morata), Kaka (Min.49 Mesut Özil, Min.92 Mandi), Callejon (Min.48 Cristiano Ronaldo), Angel Di Maria (Min.69 Alex Fernandez), Gonzalo Higuain (Min.48 Karim Benzema).

Yellow Cards: Tomas Ujfalusi (Galatasaray S.K.), Colin-Kazim Richards(Galatasaray S.K.),

Goals:
Min.10 Selçuk İnan, Min.33 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid C.F.) Min.50 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid C.F.)

Galatasaray S.K. Transfer Update!

Oke well first I really wanted to keep this blog about match reviews etc.

But with the latest happenings I can not help myself expressing my emotions and thoughts about our latest transfers. So first of all here are the transfer for the upcoming season.

''Came together, Left together''
Stancu and Culio wishing you both much succes in Orduspor''

Spendings!

 GK Fernando Muslera   (Transfer S.S. Lazio)                         AGE: 25 ;   16 June 1986

 DF Tomáš Ujfaluši        (Transfer Atlético de Madrid S.A.D.)   AGE: 33 ;  24 March 1978
 DF  Emmanuel Eboué    (Transfer Arsenal F.C.)                     AGE: 28  ;   4 June 1983
 MF Engin Baytar           (Transfer Trabzonspor A.Ş.)              AGE: 28  ;   11 July 1983
MF Felipe Melo             (Loan from Juventus F.C.)                 AGE: 28 ;   26 June 1983
MF Ceyhun Gülselam    (Transfer Trabzonspor A.Ş.)              AGE: 23 ;   25 December 1987
MF Selçuk İnan            (Transfer Trabzonspor A.Ş.)               AGE: 26 ;   10 February 1985
FW Johan Elmander      (Transfer Bolton Wanderers F.C.)       AGE: 30 ;   27 May 1981

Fernando Muslera has costs us:                €6.75 million + Lorik Cana = €12 million.

Tomáš Ujfaluši has cost us:                       €1.5 million.

Emmanuel Eboué has cost:                       €3.5 million.
Engin Baytar has cost:                              €1.1 million.
Felipe Melo                                               €1.5 million + transfer option €13 million.(negotiateable)

Ceyhun Gülselam has cost us:                   €0,-

Selçuk İnan has cost us:                            €0,-

Johan Elmander has cost us:                      €0,-

So total money we have spend is  €14.35 million+Lorik Cana.

Earnings!

 MF Emmanuel Culio    (Loan to Orduspor)                             AGE: 27 ;   30 August 1983

 MF Arda Turan           (Transfer Atlético de Madrid S.A.D. )  AGE: 24 ;   30 January 1987

 FW Bogdan Stancu     (Loan to Orduspor)                             AGE: 24 ;   28 June 1987

€ 0.35 million.
€ 12 million.
€ 0.35 million.
€0.4 million.

Total we have earned is €13.10 million.

''As for Arda Turan; Do I need to say anything?
Any other true GS supporter knows how I feel about him''
''I only wished him to always carry the numbers 66''
I am sure that he will succeed at Atletico Madrid! Goodbye Captain!

Galatasaray S.K. - Liverpool F.C. (Friendly)

Fatih Terim can make a difference and it seems ''The King is Back''!

Our team is slowly finding its identity, the score really surprised me because I found it more likely to win by 1-0 or 2-1 but what do we do we make a difference ending up with 3-0.

And the 0 is also very important. Think about it only just last season Gókhan Zan was being yelled at and Hakan Balta was not good enough! Aykut Erctin was a bad goalkeeper and who can forget Ufuk Ceylan giving away so many free penalties last season.

But ''NO'' not this season says Fatih Terim and literally the team is reborn, strengtheneth and renewed! And I think we should thank Cláudio Taffarel for the performance of both Aykut Ercetin and Ufuk Ceylan.  Even Ayhan Akman performed well the final 30 minutes he played with a memorable assist to Johan Elmander. So thank you Fatih Terim for bringing back a taste of the past and hopefully more to come in the future.

2 differences between the starting 11 of the match against Internazionale! Instead of Felipe Melo and Milan Baros warming up the bench for Johan Elmander and Ayhan Akman they started in the first 11.

Here are a few highlights of the match:

• And in the very first minutes a beautiful pass given by Sabri Sarioglu towards Milan Baros who fails to deliver the ball behind the goalkeeper Doni.
• Thanks to Kazim Richards pass and again through the help of fellow Czech Tomas Ujfalusi's assist Milan Baros stands in front of the goal and puts the ball beautifully in the back of the net 1-0 Galatasaray S.K..
• The match started to look very rough and ''unfriendly'' when the ''bold'' Shelvey commits a faul against Hakan Balta.

1. And on the 35th minute Liverpool takes a free kick as Andy Carrol heads it in the penalty area, but Phillip Degen loses control and fails to hit a clear goal chance.

• In minute 40, Galatasaray S.K. decides to look for more goals with Selcuk Inan taking the corner kick which bounces of the defender to Milan Baros his head and the ball finds the net once again 2-0 Galatasaray S.K..
• In the 81th minute Selcuk Inan serves Tomas Ujfalusi an intelligent pass to the right wing and Tomas Ujfalusi send the ball towards Johan Elmander but the defenders ''succeed'' to give away a corner kick.
• But still the Lions chase for the third goal and build up pressure on Liverpool's side while Ayhan Akman steals the balls and gives a high pass to Johan Elmander where he magnificently finishes with a volley kick 3-0 Galatasaray S.K..
• And yes with Sabri Sarioglu taking a freekick ''which in my mind he always does it well'' sends it to the penalty area and Gókhan Zan heads it, but the keeper saves this one and the match ends 3-0 for Galatasaray S.K..

Felipe Melo played his first game for Galatasaray S.K. and I really like to watch an aggressive player play, maybe its a bit deviant but Felipe Melo playing at Galatasaray feels like he has been doing this already for the past 5 years, he fits perfectly with our colors.
I just can not think how our team could have played any better, it seems that now all of the players make almost 0 mistakes and are fully concentrated with a big difference in ball possession.

On the 17th of August and another friendly match will take place against Olympiakos F.C. and on the 24th of August Galatasaray S.K. will play against Real Madrid C.F.!

''SO RERE RARA GALATASARAY GALATASARAY CIM BOM BOM''

''Next up is Olympiakos F.C. and Real Madrid C.F.''

Match: Galatasaray S.K. 3 – 0 Liverpool F.C.
Place: Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi Türk Telekom Arena
Date: 28.07.2011 Time: 21.00

Galatasaray S.K.:
Aykut Erçetin (Min.46 Ufuk Ceylan), Tomas Ujfalusi (Min.89 Semih Kaya), Gökhan Zan, Servet Çetin, Hakan Balta (Min.65 Çağlar Birinci), Felipe Melo (Min.70 Ayhan Akman), Selçuk İnan (Dk.82 Ceyhun Gülselam), Sabri Sarıoğlu (Dk.87 Emre Çolak), Kazım Kazım (Dk.65 Johan Elmander), Arda Turan (Dk.85 Emmanuel Culio), Milan Baros (Dk.74 Bogdan Stancu) 

Liverpool F.C.:
Doni (Dk.46 Brad Jones), John Flanagan, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Jack Robinson (Dk.46 Alberto Aquilani), Emiliano Insua, Martin Kelly, Christian Poulsen, Philipp Degen (Dk.46 Dirk Kuyt), Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Cole, Andy Carrol 

Yellow Cards:Min.22 Hakan Balta (Galatasaray), Min.13 Shelvey, Min.32 Degen, Min.72 Spearing (Liverpool F.C.), 

Goals:
Min.7 and 39 Milan Baros, Min.84 Johan Elmander (Galatasaray S.K.) 

Galatasaray S.K. - F.C. Internazionale Milano (Friendly)

As I stated in my previous blog ''Lets bring back that 2000 Spirit!''
The friendly against F.C. Inter was hold In Germany, Bochum, Rewirpower Stadion which finaled a 0-0 score.

After watching the match full of excitement I believe Fatih Terim is able to pull this off!
He is forming the skeleton of the team and with the pressing football Galatasaray has shown, thousands of fans have cheered!

First half was completely dominated by Galatasaray against Internazionale but just when the game kicked into rhythm in the 65th minute our supporters put on an amazing but disturbing show! After a a few minutes Galatasaray's Captain Arda Turan went to the crowd and calmed the supporters so the game could go on!
Also keep in mind that this game is played in Germany where many fans have come to watch the game.

After the show our supporters put on, the game got divided between the two teams and ended in a 0-0

A few pointings I have seen in the match is that;

• The players have overcome the trust issues that they had with themselves last season.
• Selcuk Inan once again the eyecatcher of the game together with Arda Turan playing very well and with a lot of short passes.
• Sabri Sarioglu putting his dynamic speed into the midfield has put on an good impression.
• Johan Elmander's beautiful pressing football play.
• Ayhan Akman is still in his 2000 spirit but obviously his age still takes effect with small mistakes that can turn the game.
• And the biggest suprise for me was Tomas Ujfalusi playing right back, and suprise suprise he did an outstanding job!
• With upcoming transfer Fernando Muslera the goal will be safe, but props to Aykut Ercetin for his great performance against Internazionale
  
  

All in all we can conclude our midfield is almost perfect with a few details here and there. Of course with the latest transfer; Felipe Melo together with Selcuk Inan will finally solve the ''Ayhan Akman'' problem. Thank you for all the years you have served Ayhan but your time is due.

Beautiful game but no goals therefore I believe the only concern now is the attacking front. Yes we do have it but I am hoping that Milan Baros will explode this season together with Johan Elmander.

''Let's see some goals against Liverpool!''

Galatasaray S.K. : 0 - F.C. Internazionale Milano : 0 City: Rewirpower

Galatasaray: Aykut, Ujfalusi, Servet, Gökhan, Hakan, Kazım (Min. 78 Stancu), Sabri (Min. 64 Ceyhun), Ayhan (Min. 64 Yekta), Selçuk (Min. 90 Culio ), Arda (Min. 80 Emre), Elmander (Min. 58 Baros)

Inter Milan: Castellazzi (Min.8 Orlandoni), Nagatomo (Min.58 Faraoni), Ranocchia, Samuel (Min. 58 Bianchetti), Chivu (Min.58 Caldirola), Obi (Min. 81 Crisetig), Sneijder (Min. 58 Longo), Stankovic (Min.63 Mariga), Castaignos (Min.58 Pandev), Alvarez (Min.81 Muntari), Eto'o(Min. 63 Pazzini)

Yellow Cards: Min,45 Elmander, Min,58 Servet, Min,83 Ceyhun 

Galatasaray 1905

GALATASARAY S.K. The name of our club! The name of the first ever Turkish football club!

Galatasaray was founded in 1905 by a group of football enthusiast students of Galatasaray Lycee. Their names include Ali Sami Yen, Asim Tevfik Sonumut, Reşat Şirvani, Cevdet Kalpakçıoğlu, Abidin Daver and Kamil among others. Ali Sami Yen was the first ever president of the club! The name of our old Stadium!

We have accomplished many victories along the road to 2011! Millions of fans worldwide that have experienced the joy, the happiness, the greatness that this club has brought us! For many it is love!

Which supporter can not remember those glorious years? The years of Fatih Terim, Hakan Sukur, Hagi, Taffarel and so on. The years where we have cried out of love, cried out of joy!

Now we are in 2011! We have experienced a season without the Galatasaray Spirit, a season that our board of directors have made destructive decisions and the season has come to an end!

The board has changed with the coming of ''president'' Unal Aysal whom promises us a season full of succes!
He brought back Fatih Terim which is the most logical, respected and smart decision considering how our team crumbled into little pieces! Any other coach would be to unfamiliar with the team and I can not imagine which way it would go from there.

Ofcourse does this mean that with the arrival of Fatih Terim the team will go back to its glorious years where we have won the UEFA Cup in 2000? Well it certainly has influenced a lot of great decision of great players such as Arda Turan to stay and Selcuk Inan to come, We should'nt be all to excited though! We know Fatih Terim has achieved amazing successes e.g. UEFA EURO 2008, but the team is in  a condition that it will take some time to heal!

I, as a Gatasaray Supporter will write this blog expressing my passion for our team's football and will share weekly updates about our matches for the upcoming season!

Lets bring back that 2000 Spirit!