History against Galatasaray for Madrid tie

ISTANBUL (AFP) –

Galatasaray‘s supporters light flares during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match Real Madrid vs Galatasaray on April 3, 2013 at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Galatasaray will have to rewrite history on Tuesday if they are to overturn a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final, second-leg clash.

Galatasaray will have to rewrite history here on Tuesday if they are to overturn a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final, second-leg clash.

The odds are stacked against the Turkish champions with Madrid having advanced on all seven previous occasions in Europe after winning the opening leg 3-0.

Added to the challenge in front of them is the fact that Real coach Jose Mourinho, who’s seeking a third Champions League title with a third club, has never been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in six attempts.

Even so, Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim has not given up hope.

“It’s very difficult, we’re not playing against any old team,” he said Monday.

“But we’ll try everything. I’ve seen everything in football and I hope I’ll see another one of those nights.

“I’m convinced my players want to play, they’re enthusiastic and they want to win.”

Terim is also without the suspended Burak Yilmaz, who’s tallied eight goals in Europe this term, as well as Cameroon defender Dany Nounkeu, whose absence will further weaken a fragile defence that already has conceded 12 goals in the competition thus far, more than other remaining contender.

The absence of Yilmaz, who was booked in the first leg for diving, still rankles Terim.

“That’s life, that’s football. Sometimes with 15 minutes left in a match you should get a penalty and your opponents should get a booking but the opposite happens,” he said.

“We could have come away with a very different result than the 3-0 but these things happen.

“I hope nothing of the sort will happen tomorrow (Tuesday) for either team.

“As for Burak, the most interesting thing is that not only did we not get the penalty (when he was booked for diving) but we’ve also lost him (for this game).

“The most important striker in the Champions League is no longer there. He’s our best weapon and what’s more he usually scores in Istanbul.

“But referees are human, they can make mistakes.”

The only good news for the Turkish outfit is the form of Didier Drogba, who defied his advancing years to net twice in the league over the weekend.

That, however, may count for little as Madrid travel to Istanbul on the back of a 5-1 demolition of Levante on Saturday and with the Champions League’s leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo in inspired form.