On 15 February, one of the Europa League matches took place. Galatasaray (Istanbul) and Sparta (Prague) met.
Europa League
Galatasaray (Istanbul) - Sparta (Prague) - 3:2 (1:0)
Goals: Demirbay (19), Ladislav Krejci II (61), M. Icardi (90+1) - A. Preciado (47), J. Kuhta (65)
Warnings: Q. Laci (41), Barış Alper Yılmaz (47), Veljko Birmančević (79), K. Akturkoglu (82), Ladislav Krejci II (82).
Galatasaray and Sparta Prague battled it out on the pitch in a thrilling UEFA Europa League match at RAMS Park Stadium. With the score 1-0 in Galatasaray's favour at half-time, the match ended 3-2, keeping the fans in suspense until the final whistle. The game started on a high with Galatasaray's K. Demirbay opening the scoring in the 19th minute with a fantastic goal. The Turkish players immediately took the lead and seemed to be in control of the situation. However, Sparta Praha were not going to back down: in the 41st minute, Sparta Praha player K. Laci received a yellow card, which shows the tension of the match. Just after the break, Galatasaray's B. A. Yılmaz received a yellow card, followed by a goal from A. A. Preciado of Sparta Prague in the 47th minute. Preciado of Sparta Prague levelled the score - 1:1. In the 55th minute Galatasaray made the first substitution: K. Ayhan came on in place of A. Bardakci, hoping to regain control of the match. However, in the 61st minute L. Krejci scored an own goal, giving Sparta Prague a deserved advantage. In the 62nd minute, Galatasaray's V. Nelsson received a red card, leaving his team in the minority.
"Sparta Prague saw an opportunity and seized it: in the 65th minute J. Kuhta scored the third goal. Kuhta scored the third goal. Galatasaray tried to get back on track with two more substitutions, but could not close the gap. In the 80th minute, Sparta Prague's M. Raines, who had already received a yellow card, received a second and then a red card, leaving his team with ten men on the pitch. This gave Galatasaray a glimmer of hope to turn the game in their favour. The yellow cards kept coming, and in the 82nd minute they were given to K. Akturkoglu of Galatasaray and L. Krejci of Sparta Prague. With only a few minutes left in the match, Galatasaray made two more substitutions, hoping for a comeback at the end of the game. In the last attempt, Galatasaray's M. Icardi scored in the 90th minute, ending the match with a thrilling 3-2 victory for Galatasaray. The crowd erupted in cheers as Galatasaray won a tense and competitive match. Both teams showed skill and determination throughout the match, proving that the UEFA Europa League can provide unforgettable football moments. The match between Galatasaray and Sparta Prague will surely be remembered by fans and players alike.
The following matches await the opponents in the next round: Sparta vs Galatasaray, Sparta vs Galatasaray.
| Galatasaray | Sparta | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kicks to the goal | 6 |
| 15 | Kicks | 11 |
| 4 | Blocked shots | 1 |
| 7 | Penalty kicks | 8 |
| 8 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 3 |
| 5 | Offences | 14 |
| 5 | Corners | 4 |
| 5 | Offsides | 3 |
| 57% | Ball possession | 43% |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 5 |
| 1 | Red cards | 1 |
| 4 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 432 | Total assists | 334 |
| 347 | Accurate assists | 245 |
| 80% | Accuracy of passes | 73% |