NEWS:  Thursday May 7, 2009  

GALATASARAY LOSE POINTS

May 5 (GalatasarayNews.com)  Galatasaray, who have all but given up hope of
retaining their Turkish league title this season, are slipping farther down the table
as they try to capture a European spot for next season.
   This weekend, they didn't help themselves with a humiliating 2-0 defeat at the
hands of last-placed Hacettepe.  Combined with the following the previous week's
1-1 draw with Ankaraspor, the Lions finally placed themselves firmly out of
contention for the championship.
     "It was a hard loss to swallow," said Galatasaray coach Bülent Korkmaz after
the match. "Hacettepe wanted it more than we did. I congratulate them."
  At the top of the table, Sivasspor remains hopeful for a historic win of the Super
League despite a 2-1 loss to Gaziantepspor. Only Turkey's "big four" clubs have
ever won the title: Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor.  The "big
three" Istanbul clubs have dominated the league for decades, winning every year
for 25 years.

League table HERE.

GS OUT OF UEFA CUP

March 20 (GalatasarayNews.com)  Hamburg staged an impressive comeback
from two goals behind on Thursday in Istanbul, stunning Galatasaray and knocking
the home side out of the 2009 Uefa Cup.
  Galatasaray led well into the second half, thanks to goals from Harry Kewell and
Milan Baros, but the visitors equalised with goals in the 57th and 60th minutes. The
Lions, who had only managed a 1-1 draw in the Hamburg leg, tried desperately to
find the net again but were unable. And the Germans sealed the surprise away win
with a final goal in the 90th minute.

2009 FIXTURES

January 17  Galatasaray 4-2 Malatyaspor (Turkish Cup)
January 24  Sivasspor 2-0 Galatasaray
January 27  Galatasaray 1-1 Sivasspor (Turkish Cup)
January 30  Denizlispor 0-2 Galatasaray
February 3  Sivasspor 4-2 (pen.) Galatasaray (Turkish Cup)
February 7  Galatasaray 1-1 Kayserispor
February 14  Antalyaspor 1-0 Galatasaray
February 18  Bordeaux 0-0 Galatasaray (Uefa Cup)
February 22  Galatasaray 2-5 Kocaelispor
February 26  Galatasaray 4-3 Bordeaux (Uefa Cup)
March 1  Konyaspor 0-1 Galatasaray
March 8  Galatasaray 2-1 Bursaspor
March 12  Hamburg 1-1 Galatasaray (Uefa Cup)
March 15  Trabzonspor 2-2 Galatasaray
March 19  Galatasaray 3-2 Hamburg (Uefa Cup)
March 22  Galatasaray 0-1 Eskisehirspor
April 5  Gaziantepspor 0-1 Galatasaray
April 12  Galatasaray 0-0 Fenerbahce
April 19  Istanbul BSB 0-1 Galatasaray
April 26  Galatasaray 1-1 Ankaraspor
May 3  Hacettepe 2-0 Galatasaray
May 10  Galatasaray v Ankaragucu
May 17  Galatasaray v Genclerbirligi
May 24  Besiktas v Galatasaray
May 31  Galatasaray v Sivasspor
 

First Half Results (2008):

August 23  Galatasaray 4-1 Denizlispor
August 31  Kayserispor 0-0 Galatasaray
September 13  Galatasaray 1-1 Antalyaspor
September 21  Kocaelispor 1-4 Galatasaray
September 28  Galatasaray 4-1 Konyaspor
October 5  Bursaspor 2-1 Galatasaray
October 19  Galatasaray 3-0 Trabzonspor
October 23  Galatasaray 1-0 Olympiakos (Uefa Cup)
October 26  Eskişehirspor 4-2 Galatasaray
October 30  Ankaraspor 1-1 Galatasaray (Turkish Cup)
November 2  Galatasaray 3-1 Gaziantepspor
November 6  Benfica 0-2 Galatasaray (Uefa Cup)
November 9  Fenerbahce 4-1 Galatasaray
November 12  Galatasaray 1-0 Kayserispor (Turkish Cup)
November 16  Galatasaray 2-0 Istanbul BB
November 16  Ankaraspor 0-0 Galatasaray
November 27  Galatasaray 0-1 Metalist Kharkiv (Uefa Cup)
November 30  Galatasaray 3-1 Hacettepe
December 3  Hertha Berlin 0-1 Galatasaray (Uefa Cup)
December 7  Ankaragucu 0-3Galatasaray
December 14  Genclerbirligi 1-3 Galatasaray
December 21  Galatasaray 4-2 Besiktas
 

NEW COACH SCHUSTER?

May 7 (GalatasarayNews.com)  Galatasaray have denied reports that they have reached an agreement with Bernd Schuster to take over as coach next season.
   The Spanish newspaper Sport reported yesterday that the former Real Madrid coach had signed a two-year contract with the Istanbul club. But later in the day, Galatasaray's sports director Adnan Sezgin denied the reports, saying the news was "made up artificially". 
   Galatasaray's current coach, Bulent Korkmaz, has said he will not continue on as coach after this season.  In fact, after last weekend's 2-0 loss to Hacettepe, some fans have been calling for his immediate resignation.
   Galatasaray have also reportedly been in contact with Saint Etienne coach Alain Perrin as a possible replacement for Bulent.

LIONS LOOKING FOR KEEPERS

April 22 (GalatasarayNews.com)  Galatasaray, who plan to sell their goalkeeper Morgan de Sanctis at the end of this season,  are looking to Spain for a replacement. The club has reportedly sent scouts to Spain to keep an eye on 19-year-old Sergio Asenjo of Real Valladolid, and they are also reportedly interested Atletico Madrid's Argentine international keeper Leo Franco.