Galatasaray wants to bounce back in Europe

ISTANBUL

Galatasaray travels to AS Monaco on Dec. 9 for a pivotal UEFA Champions League group-stage clash, as both teams battle for a place in the knockout rounds.

The match at Stade Louis II pits the French side, currently sitting 23rd in the 36-team league table with six points, against the Turkish giant, which is 14th with nine points.

A victory for Galatasaray would all but guarantee a place in the next round and keep alive hopes of a top-eight finish, which earns direct qualification to the round of 16.

Monaco, meanwhile, faces a desperate need for points as it heads into the final stretch of the league phase.

Galatasaray arrives in Monaco following a 1-0 defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise fortnight ago, with coach Okan Buruk saying his squad is stretched to its breaking point.

Despite coming off a Süper Lig win against Samsunspor on Dec. 5, Buruk voiced serious concerns about fatigue and a lack of depth ahead of the trip to France.

"We are overloading our players because we don't have many players to rotate," Buruk said after the match. "We're also running the risk of injury. I had no choice. I can't make substitutions; it's very difficult."

The injury crisis has left the Turkish side with limited options.

"I have almost no players left in any position. The only one left is Mauro Icardi," Buruk said. "Berkan [Kutlu] and Yunus [Akgün] have just returned from injury. İlkay [Gündoğan] is back but lacking fitness. Our players will gradually return."

Galatasaray got a morale-boosting win over Samsunspor that Buruk sees as a critical rebound after a Champions League loss and a 1-1 draw against archrival Fenerbahçe.

"The important thing is to get through these games successfully," Buruk said. "We were ahead at Fenerbahçe away, but conceded a goal in the final minutes and failed to win. Today, we got three points. Next, we have an important European game."

Monaco, meanwhile, is under pressure to capitalize on home advantage. The Ligue 1 side has struggled to convert possession into victories in Europe this campaign, drawing three of its last four Champions League fixtures.

A loss on Dec. 9 could drop the club out of the top 24, jeopardizing its playoff hopes.

Also on Dec. 9, Inter Milan hosts struggling Liverpool.

Inter, coming off a slight setback in Madrid on the last matchday, holds an impressive home record, having won 10 of its last 11 Champions League games at the San Siro. The Italian giants have been a relentless attacking force on home soil, netting at least two goals in each of their last six European matches at their stadium.

Liverpool, meanwhile, is seeking to bounce back after a rare home defeat, which saw the team drop out of the top 10 in the overall league table.

The Reds' traveling record remains strong, but their defense has been leaky, conceding in four of their last five matches in the competition.