Istanbul – On November 3, 2026, Galatasaray travelled to the Ramst Park in Stuttgart for the fourth week of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Coach Okan Buruk, fresh from a 4‑0 away victory over Konyaspor in the 10th week of the Turkish Süper Lig, made four adjustments to the lineup he had used against Konyaspor.

The four players who started against Konyaspor – goalkeeper Rafael Leão, defender Eren Elmalı, midfielder Gabriel Sara and winger Wilfried Singo – were moved to the bench. In their place, Buruk introduced centre‑back Abdülkerim Bardakcı, full‑back Ismail Jakobs, midfielder Mario Lemina and forward Barış Alper Yılmaz. The revised starting eleven featured goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır; wingers Roland Sallai and Victor Osimhen; full‑backs Davinson Sánchez and Abdülkerim Bardakcı; Jakobs at right‑back; Lemina and Lucas Torreira in midfield; with Yunus Akgün, Aleksey Batrakov and Barış Alper Yılmaz completing the attack.

On the bench Galatasaray listed Günay Güvenç, Jankat Yılmaz, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Gabriel Sara, Leroy Sane, Eren Elmalı, Lesley Ugochukwu, İlkay Gündoğan, Deniz Gül, Rafael Leão, Renato Nhaga and Wilfried Singo. Buruk’s decision to rest Bardakcı, who was suspended for the Konyaspor match, and to give playing time to the rested Yılmaz and Jakobs reflected a desire to manage squad fatigue after a congested schedule.

The match was marked by political expressions from the stands. Galatasaray supporters unfurled several banners calling for “Free Palestine”, stating “If Jerusalem is not free, the world is a prison” and “Humanity lost its conscience in Gaza”. The slogans highlighted ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian cause among Turkish fans.

Former Galatasaray midfielder Felipe Melo attended the game as a spectator, watching from the stadium’s tribunes. Melo, who wore the club’s shirt from 2011 to 2016, was seen following the action closely.

Before kickoff, the stadium observed a minute of silence for Jesús de Miguel Alameda, a 30‑year‑old Tenerife player who died after colliding with a goalkeeper in a Spanish second‑division match against Andorra. The LED screens were switched off and his photo displayed on the scoreboard as a tribute.

In a parallel youth fixture, the under‑19 teams of Galatasaray and Stuttgart met in the UEFA Youth League, ending in a 2‑2 draw. Galatasaray’s goals came from Berat Luş (23rd minute) and Arda Tagay (73rd minute). Stuttgart replied through Enis Redzepi (49th minute) and Brayann Kenmoe (87th minute).

Buruk’s tactical tweaks and the broader atmosphere surrounding the match underscored both the sporting and sociopolitical dimensions of modern European football.

Sources (learn more):

haberturk.com — https://www.haberturk.com/spor/okan-buruk-tan-4-degisiklik-3924709