Galatasaray Women Embark on Historic UEFA Champions League Journey

Istanbul is set to host its maiden UEFA Women's Champions League match this week as Galatasaray SK strive to advance to the group stage in the 24th year of the competition. The reigning Turkish champions will face Slavia Prague at the renowned 53,798-seat Ali Sam Yen Stadium in the first leg of their Round 2 encounter. Galatasaray made history by becoming the first Turkish team in 11 years to progress from the opening round of the tournament, having triumphed over Racing Union of Luxembourg and BIIK Shymkent of Kazakhstan in a four-team mini-tournament.

Andrea Stašková, Galatasaray’s Czech striker, known as the first openly gay player signed by a Turkish club, played a pivotal role by scoring in both preliminary matches. The former Sparta Prague star will again be a key player as she competes against fellow countrywomen. Slavia Prague, much higher in the UEFA club rankings, is making its eleventh consecutive appearance in this competition, having reached the quarter-finals multiple times.

Klára Cvrčková, a striker for Slavia Prague, expressed respect for their Turkish opponents, acknowledging Galatasaray’s rich football heritage. She stated, “The draw has undoubtedly assigned us a strong opponent. We respect their strength, but we believe in the quality within our team.”

Since the introduction of a 16-team group stage in 2021, just a few nations, including Turkey, have been represented. This week presents an opportunity for teams from countries like Belgium, Croatia, and Turkey to break new ground in the final stage of the qualifiers.

Historically, Turkey did not have representation in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first nine iterations of the event. It was not until 2010 that Gazi Üniversitesi, a university-side from Ankara, became the first Turkish team to participate, although they struggled in their group phases. Istanbul’s Ataşehir Belediyesi and Izmir’s Konak Belediyesi succeeded in subsequent seasons, with Konak even reaching the last sixteen in 2013, marking the country’s best performance to date.

The Galatasaray women’s football division, founded in 2011 initially for young girls, achieved its first Turkish Super League title in just its third season after resuming operations in 2021. Finishing ahead of Ankara BB FOMGET by a slim margin, Galatasaray celebrated their victory alongside the club’s men’s team before thousands of fans.

Metin Ülgen, the head coach, expressed pride in their accomplishments and highlighted the unity between players and supporters. He remarked, “Our aim is to be successful in Europe and make Galatasaray’s name heard internationally.” Galatasaray’s men’s team previously gained acclaim across Europe in the 1990s, and now, the women’s team aspires to replicate that success on the continental stage with the backing of their passionate fanbase.