Galatasaray's Champions League away match against Lille will go ahead as scheduled despite a curfew declared in France. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that there is no question of cancelling the fixture.
Nunez stated, "The cancellation of the matches is out of the question. The matches will continue to be played." The curfew, in effect from 8 PM to 6 AM for two days in the Lille, Douai, Wattignies, and Denain areas, was imposed following protests and incidents of violence that began on October 17th.
Galatasaray is closely monitoring developments and prioritising the safety of its delegation and travelling fans. The club has formally approached UEFA to request enhanced security measures in the team camp area and additional security forces on match day. The club is also in contact with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy.
The preference is to strengthen existing security arrangements rather than relocate the match. UEFA has not yet made an official announcement regarding a postponement or venue change. The third matchday fixture is set to kick off at 19:45 Turkey time on Wednesday, October 21st.
The Turkish side heads into this key European fixture while leading the Süper Lig. With 19 points from 8 games, Galatasaray sits atop the standings, two points clear of second-placed Amed. The team's record this season is six wins, one draw, and one loss from those eight matches, while their recent form across the last five games shows two wins, one draw, and two losses. Coming off a 1-0 league win against Gençlerbirliği on Saturday 17 October, secured by an own goal, the team has scored 17 goals and conceded 11 this season.
The match officials will be referee Rade Obrenovic and VAR official Matej Jug. Following the Lille clash, Galatasaray's next fixture is a critical domestic derby at home against Fenerbahçe on October 26th. This match against Fenerbahçe, who currently sit third in the table, holds significant importance for the title race.
More detail at Fotomac
