Yamal magic helps Barcelona beat Galatasaray in Champions League

Yamal provided two assists and ‘turned the game around’ for Barcelona, who won 4-1 in Istanbul.Published On 14 Oct 202614 Oct 2026Barcelona and Lamine Yamal rediscovered their sparkle after a rocky first-half spell against Galatasaray to win 4-1 in their UEFA Champions League match in Turkiye.Yamal tore the hosts apart after half-time at Istanbul’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium, Galatasaray’s cauldron, on Tuesday.“It’s incredible to have players like that,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick of Yamal. “He’s turned the game around for us.”Halfway through the second round of matches, the victory lifted Barcelona to the top of the Champions League table with two wins. Galatasaray are pointless and near the foot of the standings.“We’re at a very high level. We have to keep going; the season is very long. We can’t relax,” Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez told a Spanish broadcaster.Barcelona dominated the early stages. With Yamal vigorously policed on the right by the home defence, many of their attacks flowed through Anthony Gordon on the other flank.Yet Galatasaray took the lead after 27 minutes. After Gordon went tumbling in the penalty box, the hosts launched a rapid counterattack through Rafael Leao o...