Turkish football is making waves in Europe this season. Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League and Samsunspor in the UEFA Europa Conference League have both advanced to the Round of 16, proudly representing Turkey on the continental stage.
CEM MİRZANLI/GAZETEM
Foto: Galatasaray X
Galatasaray Draws Liverpool
The draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 took place at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with former Croatian international Ivan Rakitić pulling the teams. As a result, Galatasaray will face English giants Liverpool.
The Istanbul-based club reached this stage by eliminating Juventus in the play-off round.
Match schedule:
- First leg: March 10–11, 2026 – Istanbul (Rams Park)
- Second leg: March 17–18, 2026 – England (Anfield)
Galatasaray has already defeated Liverpool 1-0 at Rams Park this season, giving them confidence going into the first leg. While they will have home advantage in the opening match, the return leg at Anfield, one of Europe’s most challenging stadiums, will be a true test. The winner is expected to face the victor of the PSG vs. Chelsea tie in the quarter-finals.
Champions League Round of 16 Matchups
- Galatasaray – Liverpool
- Real Madrid – Manchester City
- PSG – Chelsea
- Newcastle – Barcelona
- Atletico Madrid – Tottenham
- Atalanta – Bayern Munich
- Bayer Leverkusen – Arsenal
- Bodo/Glimt – Sporting CP
Samsunspor’s European Adventure: Drawn Against Rayo Vallecano
Another Turkish representative, Samsunspor, has also advanced to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Europa Conference League. The club was drawn against Rayo Vallecano (Spain).
Match schedule:
- First leg: March 12, 2026 – Samsun
- Second leg: March 19, 2026 – Spain
If Samsunspor advances, they will face the winner of the Celje vs. AEK Athens tie in the quarter-finals. This marks the club’s most significant achievement in European competitions and represents a historic milestone for Turkish football.
Conference League Round of 16 Matchups
- Samsunspor – Rayo Vallecano
- Crystal Palace – AEK Larnaca
- Sigma Olomouc – Mainz
- Lech Poznań – Shakhtar Donetsk
- AZ Alkmaar – Sparta Prague
- Fiorentina – Raków
- Celje – AEK Athens
- Rijeka – Strasbourg