Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must keep calm and in control of their emotions if they are to emerge from their ‘Welcome to Hell’ experience at Galatasaray with their Champions League hopes alive.
It is 30 years since the Red Devils’ first trip to the Istanbul giants, who progressed on away goals from that highly-charged encounter punctuated by hostility and intimidation.
United have visited Galatasaray twice in the Champions League since then and are now preparing for a huge clash for both sides amid an ear-splitting backdrop at Rams Park on Wednesday.
The Turkish champions are well placed to qualify having won the reverse fixture 3-2 and Ten Hag knows his side will be unable to reach the knockout phase if they lose the Group A encounter.
“We know we can (win away in Europe) and we are confident,” Ten Hag said.
“The last games away from home in the league were also very hostile environments. We played very well. We were very calm and composed.
“This team also last year in Barcelona (in the Europa League did well), so we know how to deal with it and I’m sure it will be tomorrow a confident team on the pitch.”
Asked if he will stress to his players to keep their heads and remain disciplined, Ten Hag said: “Absolutely. You have to stay calm in your head and don’t get too emotional. You need the emotions but you have to control it.
“That you don’t give them anything, that you don’t give the referee as well at that moment that they’re going to take, so you have to stay away from such moments.
“We know how to deal with it. You have to play confident and you have to make it your game, so it’s not that important how the opponent is playing.
“It’s important how we are playing, how we are dealing with possession, how we are dealing with out of possession, so normal stuff. We will make a good plan but then, at the end of day, the players have to decide, they have to manage the game.”
United have failed to so much as score in their three visits to Galatasaray, who have embraced the ‘Welcome to Hell’ phase made famous in their 1993 meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
There are few more hostile environments in European football and Ten Hag was asked by a Turkish journalist what his plans were “to get out of hell” on Wednesday.
“We have to make it our game and it’s the history,” the Dutchman said.
“Obviously Manchester United has a great history, but you can’t take any guarantee from it in the future, so we have to make our own future. It’s the past, so tomorrow, it’s about the future, so we have to make it our game. It’s on us.”
United head to Istanbul without a variety of first-team players, with Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen among those injured.
Jonny Evans, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia and Amad Diallo are also sidelined, while Jadon Sancho remains banished from the squad and Donny van de Beek was not registered for the Champions League.
Marcus Rashford serves a one-match ban for his sending off in the 4-3 loss at Copenhagen earlier this month, but striker Rasmus Hojlund and winger Antony are available.
Ten Hag confirmed “they are in the squad” after missing Sunday’s 3-0 win at Everton through injury – a match in which Kobbie Mainoo shone on his first Premier League start.
The highly-rated 18-year-old put in an eye-catching display at Goodison Park and Ten Hag would have no hesitation throwing him in again.
“No, we don’t have fear (of starting Mainoo again),” Ten Hag said. “If players are good enough, then they are old enough.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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