Barcelona trailed against the run of play, then scored four unanswered goals to beat Galatasaray 4-1 in the Champions League and move top of the standings. The visitors scored three times in 15 minutes after half time, with Fermin Lopez, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi all finding the net between the 50th and 65th minute.
Barcelona began brightly in a raucous Rams Park, dominating possession and looking to exploit Galatasaray’s high defensive line. Dani Olmo was denied by a fine save from Urgakan Cakir after Pedri played him through, while Lamine Yamal fired over as the visitors tried to make their early pressure count.
Galatasaray gradually disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm with an aggressive press, but the visitors continued to threaten in behind. Anthony Gordon forced another good save from Cakir in the 17th minute, before Olmo narrowly missed a dangerous Yamal cross as Barcelona searched for the opener.
Against the run of play, Galatasaray struck in the 28th minute. Aleksey Batrakov put the hosts ahead with his first Champions League goal, finishing from a nice assist by Rafael Leao and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Burak Yilmaz then thought he had doubled the hosts’ lead in the 34th minute, a moment that left Barcelona stunned after a spell in which they had looked the more dangerous side. VAR ruled the goal out, however, handing the visitors a reprieve.
Barcelona made the reprieve count in the 43rd minute when Joao Cancelo equalised. The defender was in space on the left, opened his body and found the far corner.
Having scored a crucial goal just before the break, Barcelona struck again shortly after it to take the lead. Fermin Lopez snuck in and headed into the back of the net from a wonderful Yamal assist.
Barcelona stayed in control moments later during a superb start to the second half. More fine work from Yamal presented Gordon with the chance to fire in at the near post, marking his first Champions League goal for the club.
The Barcelona onslaught did not stop there. Karim Adeyemi got in on the act when Gabriel Jesus flicked the ball on to the Germany international, who fired a clinical shot past Cakir.
Fermin, Gordon and Adeyemi all struck between the 50th and 65th minute, a burst of three goals in 15 minutes that secured the victory and sent Barcelona to the top of the Champions League standings.
The result leaves Barcelona top of the Champions League standings after they recovered from Batrakov’s opener. Cancelo’s equaliser just before half time changed the mood, and the goals from Fermin, Gordon and Adeyemi in the opening 15 minutes of the second half completed a commanding 4-1 win.
