- Manchester United are in Istanbul for crucial meeting with Galatasaray
- But torrential rain and thunderstorms will make conditions very tough
- Was Garnacho’s overhead kick REALLY the greatest ever? Listen to the debate on It’s All Kicking Off
Manchester United will have to deal with a saturated pitch as well as a fearsome atmosphere in their crucial Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday.
Istanbul has been hit by torrential rain and thunderstorms on matchday, leaving the playing surface at RAMS Park covered with enormous puddles.
UEFA officials are inspecting the pitch and, as it stands, are insisting the match, which kicks off at 5.45pm UK time and 8.45pm local time, will proceed as scheduled.
A UEFA statement read: ‘We are closely monitoring the weather forecast and at this stage the match will go ahead as scheduled.’
United have arrived at the stadium in a positive sign the game will go ahead with manager Erik ten Hag and his players inspecting the sodden surface.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag inspects the pitch at the RAMS Park after a day of torrential rain and thunderstorms in Istanbul prior to their crunch game with Galatasaray
United’s player braved the wet weather to take a closer look at the surface ahead of kick-off
Ten Hag speaks to his players as United prepare for a fierce test against Galatasaray
A photograph posted on X by ESPN reporter Rob Dawson showed large puddles of water on the RAMS Park pitch just a few hours before Galatasaray’s game with Manchester United
The official Galatasaray X account posted a picture of the torrential rain at RAMS Park
The Istanbul weather forecast shows the rain and storms are expected to continue pre-match
But the rain is forecast to continue throughout the evening, making playing conditions very difficult.
A photograph posted on X by ESPN reporter Rob Dawson showed the state of the sodden surface at the 52,600 capacity stadium, with officials wielding umbrellas as they inspected the pitch.
A further video posted by Turkish newspaper Fanatik showed a worrying lack of bounce and movement when a ball was thrown onto the wet pitch.
Even Galatasaray’s official English language account acknowledged the ‘rain continues to lash down’ in the hours ahead of kick-off.
United’s under-19 team got a foretaste of the soggy conditions as they lost 1-0 to their Galatasaray counterparts in the UEFA Youth League earlier on Wednesday.
Their game, played across town at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium in Kasimpasa, took place in pouring rain.
Any postponement would wreak havoc with both teams’ schedules. Erik ten Hag’s side are due to play Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the Premier League on Saturday night.
Article 27.01 of the UEFA regulations states any postponed game should ideally be played the following day, meaning United would have a very short turnaround before their trip to Tyneside.
They state: ‘If a match cannot start or cannot be played in full, the full or remaining match time is, as a rule, played on the next day, without prejudice to any possible disciplinary measures.
Man United’s Under 19 side lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in the UEFA Youth League this afternoon
The game took place in biblical conditions amid several torrential downpours in Istanbul
‘For that purpose, the home clubs must conclude all the necessary agreements to ensure that the required facilities are available and can be operated.
‘If the match cannot be rescheduled the next day, the UEFA administration fixes a new date, during a reserve date or other date. The rescheduling may entail exceptions to the regular match calendar (see Annex C).
‘As a rule, a rescheduled match is played at the same venue. If the circumstances require a change of venue, the UEFA administration must approve the alternative venue.’
Galatasaray travel away to Pendikspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday evening.
United sit bottom of Champions League group A having lost three of their opening four games – including 3-2 to Galatasaray at Old Trafford.
Defeat in Istanbul would see Ten Hag’s side out of the Champions League and not assured of the Europa League consolation prize ahead of their matchday six fixture with Bayern Munich.
A draw wouldn’t eliminate them but would leave them needing to beat Bayern and reliant on the result in the other game between Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
United have it all to do in order to lift themselves off the bottom of Group A
