Sporting CP have faced four different Turkish teams in major European competition, but this will be their first meeting with Galatasaray; the Turkish side with the most games played across those competitions (282).

Only one of the last 14 Turkish sides travelling to face a Portuguese side in major European competition has picked up a victory (D3 L10), with Beşiktaş winning at Porto in the UEFA Champions League in September 2017 (3-1).

Sporting CP reached the quarter final of the UEFA Champions League for the first time last season, before being eliminated by eventual runners-up Arsenal. The 2025-26 campaign also saw the Lisbon outfit score more goals (22) and win more games (6) than in any other season in the competition.

Galatasaray have won just two of their last 26 away UEFA Champions League games (D3 L21), failing to score 15 times and keeping only two clean sheets in this run.

Sporting CP have won five of their last eight group stage matches in the UEFA Champions League (D1 L2), including each of their last two and could equal their record for most consecutive group stage victories – two separate runs of three between October and November 2008 and October and November 2021.

Since the start of the 2000-01 season in the UEFA Champions League, Galatasaray have netted 113 goals in 104 games, the lowest average (1.09 per game) of any side to play 100+ games in the competition in that time.

Manager Rui Borges has won six of his 16 UEFA Champions League matches in charge of the club, with his 37.5% win percentage second only to Ruben Amorim (44.4% - min. 2 games).

In his previous UEFA Champions League campaign in 2024-25, Galatasaray’s Rafael Leão completed 4.4 dribbles per 90 on average (for Milan). Of players with 500+ minutes played in that edition, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal was the only player who averaged more (4.6).

Luis Suárez was in involved in seven goals in the UEFA Champions League last season (5 goals, 2 assists), the joint-most in a single campaign in the competition for Sporting CP, along with Viktor Gyökeres (7 in 2024-25) and Trincão (7 in 2025-26).

Last season, Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen netted seven goals in the UEFA Champions League – the most by a Nigerian player in a single season in the competition’s history.