SPOSporting CPClub page
GALGalatasarayClub page
Squad value€378.7m
Squad value€399.75m
Key playerGonçalo Inácio
Key playerVictor Osimhen
Head coachRui Borges
Head coachOkan Buruk
Sporting CP press high and Galatasaray insist on playing out through it. Expect the ball lost in dangerous places.
Sporting CP and Galatasaray both come after the ball high up the pitch, so it keeps changing hands in dangerous areas.
Sporting CP and Galatasaray both push numbers forward, so neither back four gets much cover.
Their playmaker starts in the middle but keeps sliding over to the left and cutting inside. That is deliberate: it clears the touchline for the left-back Maxi Araújo to charge past him.
“Explicando a geometria da equipa: o charrua começou por se fixar na posição 10, mas tem derivado com frequência para a esquerda, trocando de posicionamento com Flávio Gonçalves e realizando movimentações interiores para abrir a ala às investidas de Maxi Araújo.”Explaining the team's geometry: the Uruguayan started out fixed in the number 10 position, but has frequently been drifting to the left, swapping positions with Flávio Gonçalves and making inside runs to open up the flank for Maxi Araújo's raids. our translation
This is a much-changed, much younger side than the one that won the league. Expect real quality in patches and then spells where they simply lose the thread.
“O treinador entende que a quebra exibicional do médio se insere nas «dores de crescimento» de um coletivo que sofreu profundas remodelações de uma época para a outra, vendo a sua média de idades descer consideravelmente.”The coach sees the midfielder's dip in form as part of the growing pains of a side that has been deeply remodelled from one season to the next, with its average age falling considerably. our translation
They squeeze up and press hard, but it fades. As legs go, especially their number 10's, the whole team stops closing people down and you get time on the ball.
“O Zalazar também caiu bastante em termos físicos e deixámos de ser tão pressionantes.”Zalazar also dropped off a lot physically, and we stopped being so aggressive in the press. our translation
Victor Osimhen is the whole team. He runs, he fights, he takes responsibility and he winds the crowd up. Stop him and you have stopped most of Galatasaray.
“Osimhen, G.Saray'ın her şeyi olmaya devam ediyor. Koşuyor, mücadele ediyor, sorumluluk alıyor, tribünleri ateşliyor, sürekli arkadaşlarının enerjisini yukarı çekmeye çalışıyor.”Osimhen continues to be Galatasaray's everything. He runs, he battles, he takes responsibility, he sets the stands alight, he constantly tries to lift his team-mates' energy. our translation
They can be dragged into a hoof-it, head-it contest. Against a physical side they started hitting it long more often than the opponent did.
“İlk 45’te toplam 64 uzun top oynandı. 36’sı Galatasaray’dandı.”In the first 45 minutes 64 long balls were played in total. 36 of them were Galatasaray's. our translation
When they get it right they put the ball on the grass and pass quickly through the middle. Watch for that switch — it usually decides the game.
“İkinci yarının başlama düdüğüyle sahadaki trend değişti, Rus on numara Batrakov’un da oyuna dahil olmasının etkisiyle Galatasaray topu yere indirdi. Pas hızını artırdı. Sete yerleşti.”With the whistle for the second half the trend on the pitch changed; with the Russian number ten Batrakov coming into the game, Galatasaray brought the ball down to the ground. They increased their passing speed. They settled into possession play. our translation