Barcelona travel to Istanbul on Tuesday, 13 October to face Galatasaray at RAMS Park in matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27, with kick-off set for 8:00pm BST. Hansi Flick's side arrive in Turkey on the back of nine consecutive wins in all competitions — a streak not seen at the club since 1935/36.

A fortress and a test of nerve

RAMS Park is widely regarded as one of the most hostile environments in European football. Galatasaray's supporters have helped their side beat Liverpool twice and Juventus on home soil in the Champions League last season, and they will be equally ferocious on Tuesday night.

The Turkish club opened this season's Champions League campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Sporting CP, but their record at RAMS Park tells a different story: they won four of six home matches en route to last season's round of 16.

Central to that home form was striker Victor Osimhen, who has only recently returned from injury. Whether he is fit to start against Barcelona remains uncertain.

Barcelona's imperious run and a defensive question mark

Barcelona made an emphatic statement in their opening Champions League fixture, thrashing Feyenoord 5-1, and followed that up with a 3-0 league win over Getafe on Saturday to bring their winning run to nine games. A victory in Istanbul would take that streak to ten and further establish Flick's side among the favourites to lift the trophy.

Their front three of Lamine Yamal, Anthony Gordon, and Gabriel Jesus carries enormous creative and attacking threat. Raphinha, who has scored 14 goals this season, is injured and Jesus is expected to continue in his place.

The Blaugrana's most pressing concern, however, remains their defence. Barcelona have not kept a clean sheet in the Champions League since April 2025 — a run stretching to 16 matches — and Galatasaray's cauldron of an atmosphere will offer no comfort as that record comes under scrutiny once again.

Match prediction

Despite the hostile surroundings, Barcelona possess the individual quality to grind out a result. A narrow 2-1 victory for the Spanish side is the expected outcome.