Galatasaray beat Kasimpasa 3-1 to top Turkish league before hosting Barcelona in Champions League

Galatasaray will welcome Barcelona in high spirits. The Istanbul side beat Kasimpasa 3-1 on matchday seven of the Turkish Super Lig and finished the weekend as provisional leaders, just days before hosting the Catalan club on Tuesday in the Champions League (21:00 CET).

• Galatasaray beat Kasimpasa 3-1 despite playing with ten men from the 63rd minute.
• Okan Buruk kept Gündogan and Osimhen on the bench with Barcelona in mind.
• Victor Osimhen returned after three matches out and provided the assist for the 3-1.
• Lucas Torreira was sent off and will miss the derby against Fenerbahçe.
• The Turkish side lead the table with 16 points, three more than Amed SK.

Bardakci scores before half-time and Torreira leaves Galatasaray short

The home side went ahead just before the break when Bardakci headed in from a wide free kick. The goal settled Galatasaray, who were already thinking about managing their energy for the European match, but the game soon changed in the second half.

In the 63rd minute, Lucas Torreira was shown a straight red card after a VAR review. The Uruguayan midfielder stopped a clear scoring chance in a challenge with Thiemoko Diarra and left his team with ten men. The suspension will also rule him out of the derby against Fenerbahçe.

Kasimpasa level with the extra man before Galatasaray respond late

Only four minutes after the red card, Kasimpasa equalised. Jesuran Rak-Sakyi, who had come on as a substitute, beat the home goalkeeper to make it 1-1. The numerical advantage seemed to open the door for a visiting comeback.

But Galatasaray refused to give up despite the disadvantage. In the 90th minute, Alper Yılmaz scored to make it 2-1 and restore the lead. Then deep into stoppage time, in the 90+6 minute, Mario Lemina sealed the win with the final 3-1 after an assist from Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen and Lemina return in time for Barcelona

The most relevant news for Barcelona is the return of Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker, who received medical clearance the previous day along with Lemina, came on in the 77th minute to replace Gul and directly contributed to the third goal. Osimhen had missed three matches through injury.

Okan Buruk also kept Ilkay Gündogan on the bench, a decision aimed at keeping him fresh for the Champions League. With Osimhen and Lemina back, Galatasaray recover important pieces for the meeting with Barcelona on matchday two of the league phase.

What Galatasaray are playing for against Barcelona in the Champions League

The win over Kasimpasa not only leaves Galatasaray as provisional Turkish Super Lig leaders with 16 points, three more than Amed SK, who visit Gençlerbirligi. It also boosts the morale of a side chasing their first victory in this season's Champions League.

Barcelona will visit Istanbul at a sweet moment for the Turkish club, who arrive strengthened by the victory and backed by a passionate home crowd. RAMS Park will stage a key fixture for both teams in the new league phase format, where every point matters to avoid the extra knockout round.

Kick-off time and how to watch Galatasaray vs Barcelona

Galatasaray and Barcelona meet on Tuesday at 21:00 CET at RAMS Park in Istanbul. In Spain, the match will be broadcast live on Movistar+ as part of the second round of the Champions League league phase.

With this result, Galatasaray reach 16 points and are provisionally top, three points ahead of Amed SK, who visit Gençlerbirligi today.

Frequently asked questions about Galatasaray's win and the Barcelona match