Champions League: Galatasaray v Schalke match preview

A look ahead to tonight’s Champions League fixture at the Turk Telecom Arena

Galatasaray duo Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba (GETTY IMAGES)

Galatasaray proudly sit six points clear at the top of the Turkish Super Lig and will be confident ahead of this tie after a productive January transfer window saw the high profile arrivals of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder from Shanghai Shenhua and Inter Milan respectively. Fatih Terim’s side have lost only one of their last 10 league games, while Drogba has made an immediate impact after scoring on his debut last Friday.

Visitors Schalke have plummeted down the Bundesliga from second in mid-November to their current position of ninth. Coach Huub Stevens was sacked by the 2011 Champions League semi-finalists in December, with youth team coach Jens Keller replacing him. Keller won his first league game 5-4 against Hannover, but has failed to win any of the last four in the league.

KICK-OFF: Wednesday, 7.45pm

PAST MEETINGS…

The sides have never met before.

STATS…

Galatasaray are aiming to become the first Turkish side to reach the Champions League quarter-finals since Fenerbache in 2008.

Galatasaray went nine away games without a victory in the Champions League proper, losing eight, before their 3-1 win at CFR Cluj. They have now won two away games in a row after beating Braga 2-1.

Galatasaray have conceded 196 European Cup goals.

This is Schalke’s 50 European Cup match.

Schalke have conceded 45 goals in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.

Benedikt Howedes and Roman Neustadter have played every minute of Schalke’s campaign so far.

ODDS…

Galatasaray to win: 11/10

Schalke to win: 11/5

Draw: 11/5

TV: Live on Sky Sports 4 at 7.45pm, highlights on Sky Sports 1 at 12am on Thursday.