The old Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Istanbul’s Sisli district didn’t look like much. According to the demolition company, which demolished it in 15 days in 2010 (instead of the 75 it took to complete the work), Galatasaray fans managed to avoid disaster “with the help of God.” The condition of the building was deplorable. .
Even those who took part in the fighting were not much safer.
“I remember after the game the lights in the tunnel were switched off and suddenly it was dark,” says Mike Phelan, a member of the Manchester United team that Galatasaray knocked out of the Champions League in 1993 on a cathartic night. I.
“It felt like a minute passed, but probably shorter – and suddenly the lights came on again, and we went to the locker room.
“I remember seeing Eric [Cantona] sat in the corner and Robbo [Bryan Robson] with blood in the eye. Robbo said he was hit and Eric said someone hit him too. It was one of those situations where everyone became very aggressive. Eric especially was very angry.
After a 3-3 draw in the first leg of a thriller at Old Trafford, in which Cantona scored a late equalizer to give United hope, Sir Alex Ferguson’s European newcomers traveled to Turkey as clear favourites. Galatasaray was considered a significantly inferior team.
This week United prepare for a crunch clash with the same opponents, this time in the much more luxurious surroundings of the newly built, safety-certified Rams Park.
But in November 1993, Ali Sami Yen and his sea of yellow and red in the stands – giving the impression that the rivals had reached the depths of “hell” – took no prisoners.
From the moment United touched down and were greeted by thousands of hostile fans holding signs reading “Welcome to Hell” (or worse), it was clear that this would be an experience to remember.
“I pulled the bag out from under coach,” said former defenseman Gary Pallister, who watched the return match from the stands due to injury. I. “I was walking through a nice hotel, most of the guys were walking ahead of me about 20-30 yards, I passed the bellhop, he was pushing one of the carts, and as I passed him I just walked away into the afternoon.” or something like that. that kind of thing, and he just acted like that (throat-cutting gesture).
“I just kept running. I thought, “Wow, this is a little different.” Honestly, we had to deal with that for most of the trip.”
When it came to mischief, the locals did their best. Over the years we have heard many stories of fireworks being set off outside team hotels or even team buses being attacked.
Hotel staff in a five star hotel? Only for the most special guests.
“Chokky (Brian McClair) said he was banging on the ceiling, so he and Jim McGregor, our physiotherapist, went upstairs and found the cleaner just sitting there banging on the ceiling.
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“But he just looked at her and walked away. It’s crazy to think something like this will continue.”
“It was first class service and on game day it seemed like they were saying, ‘Feed yourself, take care of yourself,’” Phelan added. “The night before the game there were a lot of calls to the rooms. I picked up the phone several times during the night. But on race day we thought we were ready.”
Six hours before the start of the match, the home fans went to their places to stir the pot and sharpen their pitchforks.
It worked. Apart from Lee Sharp’s disallowed goal, United rarely dared to threaten the hosts’ goal, resulting in a 0-0 draw and an unflattering exit from the Champions League.
While the home side, led by former Blackburn metronome Tugay, celebrated the famous result, Cantona lost his head and kicked the ball after Swiss referee Kurt Roethlisberger decided to blow his whistle without stoppage time. .
The Frenchman was removed as the scene became gruesome. United fans were met with an all-out police response and some players were left bleeding by the end of the night.
“Everyone was a little angry about the attack that just happened,” Pallister added. “On the way back we broke the bus window. I think it was at the front of the bus and we drove part of the way back with the window missing. It was a real journey for our first Champions League experience.”
Most of United’s current squad are no strangers to extensive European adventures. The challenge facing us this time is strikingly similar.
Having picked up just four points from their first four group games, they need a significant turnaround to qualify for the knockout stages of this year’s tournament.
Two wins in the last two games, starting in Istanbul, should be enough. The current team’s experience will not be as daunting as it was 30 years ago, but like their impressive weekend win over a frenetic Everton, United will have to live with the hostility during this difficult time.
“Even now in big football games you have to experience a lot of things if you want to be successful,” Phelan added.
“We have to control the game because you can’t control the atmosphere. If you handle the ball well and don’t make mistakes, you may be able to control the ball to some extent and silence the crowd. Don’t reward your audience.
“Everything becomes a problem when you play for Manchester United, especially when you are back in the Champions League and want to reach the next level. So you will have to perform. Istanbul is not a place you can pass by.”
Source: I News
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.