VfL Wolfsburg Women face Turkish opponents for the first time on Wednesday 13 November (kick-off 18:45 CET), when they take on Galatasaray away from home.
First time in Champions League
The Istanbul club’s men’s team are well known on these shores, but the same cannot be said for Galatasaray Spor Kulübü – the women’s side. This may be partly because the team was only re-established in September 2021, after the women’s department and girls’ football school – which were originally founded in 2011 – were disbanded for financial reasons in 2016. Galatasaray S.K. have enjoyed great success over the past two campaigns, however, reaching the play-off semi-finals of the Turkish Super League in 2022/23, where they lost to Fenerbahce. They went on to win the title the following season, thereby securing a place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time.
Survived two qualifying rounds
Gala won both their games in the first qualifying round, beating Racing FC Union from Luxembourg 4-1 before thumping Kazakhstani outfit BIIK Kazygurt 5-0. They then overcame Slavia Praha in the play-offs, drawing 2-2 in the first leg and triumphing 2-1 in the return to become the first Turkish club to reach the group stage. They have lost both their group matches so far, though, slipping to a 3-0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais before losing 6-1 at home to AS Roma.
The Istanbul outfit are currently sixth in the 14-team Super League with 12 points from six matches, but they have two games in hand on the five teams above them. They were beaten 1-0 by city rivals Besiktas in their last game at the weekend.
Stage set at Atatürk Olympic Stadium
Wednesday’s game is being held at the 75,145-capacity Atatürk Olympic Stadium, which hosted the men’s Champions League finals in 2005 and 2023.
