Anthony Gordon scored his first Champions League goal for Barcelona as Hansi Flick's side came from behind to beat Galatasaray 4-1 at RAMS Park in Matchday 2. Aleksey Batrakov had stunned the visitors in the first half, but João Cancelo equalised before half-time and Barcelona ran away with it after the break through Fermín López, Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.
Match facts
- Result: Galatasaray 1-4 Barcelona (half-time 1-1)
- Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Matchday 2
- Venue: RAMS Park, Istanbul
- Scorers: Galatasaray - Batrakov 28'; Barcelona - Cancelo 43', Fermín López 50', Gordon 53', Adeyemi 65'
- Assists: Rafael Leão (28'); Dani Olmo (43'), Lamine Yamal (50', 53')
- Red cards: None
- Next: Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain, Tuesday 20 October, 20:00 UK; Galatasaray v Lille, Wednesday 21 October, 17:45 UK
How the match unfolded
Barcelona controlled early possession in a fierce Istanbul atmosphere, but Galatasaray struck on their first real attack. Seconds after Gordon's penalty appeals were waved away, Rafael Leão drove down the left and cut the ball back to Batrakov, whose shot took a deflection off Cancelo and wrong-footed Joan García for 1-0 in the 28th minute.
Six minutes later Barış Alper Yılmaz diverted Victor Osimhen's header past García and the stadium erupted — until VAR ruled a marginal offside and the goal was wiped out.
Barcelona steadied before the interval. Dani Olmo helped the ball into Cancelo's path, and the full-back curled a finish into the corner past Uğurcan Çakır in the 43rd minute to make it 1-1 at half-time.
The second half belonged to Flick's side. In the 50th minute Lamine Yamal crossed and Fermín López headed in. Three minutes later Yamal's close control created Gordon's first Champions League goal for the club, the England forward finishing after netting for Barça for the first time days earlier in the 3-0 win over Getafe.
Adeyemi replaced Gordon and made it 4-1 in the 65th minute, arrowing home from the left of the box after Gabriel Jesus touched a Yamal cross into his path. Galatasaray could not find a way back.
What the result means
Barcelona stay top of the league phase with six points and nine goals scored in two matches, after thrashing Feyenoord 5-1 on Matchday 1. Flick's side have scored 84 Champions League goals in 28 games under him — the highest goals-per-game rate for any club with 20 or more games under one manager since 1992-93, according to BBC Sport.
Galatasaray remain without a league-phase point after also losing to Sporting CP, and sit near the bottom of the table. The defeat comes as Atlético Madrid claimed a home win over Manchester United on the same night — see Atlético's recent La Liga form for context on Simeone's side — while Arsenal's Matchday 2 night is covered in BetAlert's Lille preview.
What comes next
Barcelona visit Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday 20 October (20:00 UK). Galatasaray host Lille on Wednesday 21 October (17:45 UK). Readers checking clubs or accounts that claim special access can use BetAlert's free database for documented exposure records.