Barcelona Fight Back at Galatasaray for 10th Straight Win
Barcelona extended their exceptional start under Hansi Flick with a 4-1 Champions League win at Galatasaray, recovering from an early setback at Rams Park to register a tenth straight victory in all competitions.
Aleksey Batrakov put the Turkish side ahead and briefly gave the home crowd reason to believe an upset was possible. João Cancelo levelled shortly before half-time, however, and Barcelona took complete control after the break. Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi each found the net as the visitors turned a demanding occasion into a convincing European result.
The four goals took Barcelona’s total for the season to 43, with seven members of Flick’s squad now having scored more than once. Their attacking output has remained formidable despite the summer exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, leaving the club without an established first-choice centre-forward.
Flick nevertheless insisted that the squad cannot afford to become distracted by its current run. He said football can change quickly and stressed that, while the players should take pride in their position and their belief in the team’s style, trophies will only be decided in May and June. Barcelona’s work, he said, must continue every day until then.
Yamal shapes the second-half turnaround
Lamine Yamal did not score in Istanbul but was named player of the match after a decisive second-half display. The teenager supplied an outstanding cross for Fermín’s goal and used his close control and invention to create Gordon’s finish. His influence was felt throughout Barcelona’s four-goal performance, taking his individual return to eight goals and nine assists from 10 appearances this season.
Flick said he had not been surprised by Barcelona’s scoring form because the quality is visible every day in training. He described himself as completely convinced by the group and praised the manner in which his side controlled a Champions League match in an intimidating setting.
The coach felt Barcelona’s work in the final third and in transition had not been at its best before the interval, acknowledging Galatasaray’s strength and the effect of the stadium atmosphere. A small adjustment at half-time changed the contest, he said, with the second-half level described as outstanding.
Yamal was singled out for particular praise. Flick said the forward had transformed the game after the restart, adding that the passes and situations he produces in matches are familiar from training. The Barcelona manager called the youngster’s control of the second half and his final-ball quality remarkable.
Galatasaray forward Rafael Leão also praised Yamal, saying he hoped the Barcelona player would win the Ballon d’Or as well as major honours with the club. Leão said the teenager was already among the world’s best players and a footballer he held in particularly high esteem.
Barcelona’s winning sequence will face a much sterner examination over the next week. They return to La Liga on Saturday with a trip to third-placed Real Betis, before travelling to France to meet Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next Tuesday. Flick’s side then host Real Madrid in the season’s first El Clásico, a three-match stretch that will test whether their early momentum can be sustained.
