Galatasaray will probably have Muslera in goal against Bayern after all
Galatasaray Istanbul will probably be able to play with Fernando Muslera in goal for the Champions League match at FC Bayern Munich after all. The 37-year-old captain injured his elbow in the 2-1 defeat to Kasimpasa in the Turkish Süperliga last Friday and had to be substituted after an hour of play. However, the Uruguayan shot-stopper was able to train with the team on Tuesday and is part of the Turkish soccer champions' squad.
"Muslera trained and there were no problems," reported coach Okan Buruk in the Allianz Arena. However, the decision on whether the experienced regular goalkeeper will play will not be made until the match day. The game on Wednesday (21:00) is "very important" for Galatasaray, said Buruk: "We want to get through the group stage." Going into matchday 4, the Turkish record champions are second in the table with four points behind Bayern, who have won three times so far. Second place would be enough to advance to the round of 16.
In contrast to the 3-1 defeat in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, Buruk expects Bayern to be more dominant. He hopes that his team will be more effective in finishing than they were two weeks ago at home in Istanbul. He is also counting on vociferous support from many of his compatriots living in Germany. "We have a lot of Turkish fans behind us. With their help, we want to cut a good figure here," said the 50-year-old.
Galatasaray Istanbul's chances of securing a place in the Champions League round of 16 may significantly improve if Fernando Muslera can maintain his form between the posts against FC Bayern Munich. Despite his elbow injury during the Turkish Süperliga match against Kasimpasa, Muslera has shown sufficient recovery to potentially feature in the crucial Champions League match.
Should Muslera feature in goal, his experience and expertise in high-stakes games like the Champions League could prove crucial for Galatasaray Istanbul, aiming to overcome Bayern Munich and advance to the next stage of the competition.
Source: www.dpa.com
