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Turkish football enjoyed a landmark week on the European stage as Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Samsunspor delivered statement victories that not only electrified supporters but also strengthened Türkiye’s standing in UEFA’s country rankings.
From Istanbul to Warsaw, the Süper Lig’s representatives combined resilience with flair, suggesting a new era of continental competitiveness for Turkish clubs.
Galatasaray stuns Liverpool
At RAMS Park in Istanbul, Galatasaray authored an unexpected night of European theater.
In front of 52,000 roaring fans, the Lions toppled Premier League reigning champions Liverpool 1-0 on Sept. 30 in the Champions League league phase.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, cool from the spot in the 28th minute after Barış Alper Yılmaz was fouled, provided the difference.
It was a rare feat: only the second Turkish victory over Liverpool in European competition, following Beşiktaş’s 2014 win.
Under Okan Buruk, Galatasaray combined sharp pressing with defensive steel.
Center-back Abdülkerim Bardakcı anchored a back line that held Liverpool to just three shots on target.
The Reds, walking alone under Arne Slot, looked disjointed and registered only 0.8 expected goals compared to Galatasaray’s 1.2.
The result pushed Galatasaray to six points after two matches, placing them third in the league-phase table, while Liverpool languished winless.
For Türkiye, it was historic: the first Champions League group-stage home win over an English side since the competition’s modern format began in 1992.
UEFA officials praised the atmosphere and Istanbul erupted into celebration.
Fenerbahçe outlasts Nice
Two days later in Kadıköy, Fenerbahçe earned their own European redemption.
Coming off an opening defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, the Yellow Canaries beat OGC Nice 2-1 in a tense Europa League tie.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu stole the spotlight with a brace inside 25 minutes, first finishing off a quick counter setup by Anderson Talisca, then slotting in a second from İsmail Yüksek’s perfectly weighted pass.
Nice pulled one back before halftime via Kevin Carlos Omoruyi’s penalty, but Fenerbahçe’s defense, marshaled by Jose Mourinho’s tactical pragmatism, stood firm.
Goalkeeper Ederson produced three crucial stops in the second half as Nice pushed forward, but Fred and Sebastian Szymański controlled the midfield tempo to close the match.
The victory extended Fenerbahçe’s unbeaten home run in Europe to seven games and lifted them into contention in the group, a significant morale boost for a squad with high expectations.
Samsunspor’s European return
If Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe carried the weight of tradition, Samsunspor provided the fairytale.
Back in continental competition for the first time in 37 years, the Black Sea side announced their arrival in the Conference League with a gritty 1-0 away win over Legia Warsaw on Oct. 2.
Anthony Musaba’s 10th-minute strike, born from a clever set-piece routine, proved decisive.
Despite Legia dominating possession and firing 12 shots, goalkeeper Okan Kocuk produced four saves and VAR denied Mileta Rajovic a late equalizer.
Markus Gisdol’s men absorbed pressure with discipline, countering efficiently and defending in numbers. For Samsunspor, once a fallen giant, it was a debut made for history books.
Coefficients’ boost
The collective success reverberated beyond individual club fortunes.
On Oct. 3, UEFA’s updated country coefficients reflected Türkiye’s surge, vaulting them to ninth place with a score of 44.800 – above Czechia and closing the gap on eighth-placed Belgium.
That ranking ensures four Süper Lig clubs a path to Champions League qualifiers next season, while also strengthening Türkiye’s Europa and Conference League representation.
With Başakşehir and Beşiktaş still in action, the nation could climb further, edging closer to an additional Champions League berth.
