«I have never seen anything like this in my life»: Rodri speaks about the match against «Galatasaray»

14 October 2026, 20:37·94·Sport

In the 2nd round of the UEFA Champions League general stage, Catalonia's «Barcelona» club was a guest of Istanbul's hot stadium against «Galatasaray», securing a resounding 4:1 comeback victory. After the match, the experienced midfielder of the «blaugrana», Rodri Hernandez, shared his impressions of the game, dwelling on the unprecedented pressure created by the home fans.

Although the Spanish midfielder has played in many grand arenas throughout his career, he did not hide that the atmosphere in Istanbul truly astonished him.

Rodri: «I have never seen such pressure in my career»

The Catalans' leader described how difficult the clash in Istanbul was:

A grueling battle: «It was a very tough game. Playing against “Galatasaray” at their home ground has always been complicated. We knew in advance that the fans would exert a lot of pressure, but I have never seen anything like this in my life», — Rodri said;
An unbelievable atmosphere: «Their whistling when the opponent has the ball and the passionate support for their own team's players — it's simply unbelievable», — the footballer admitted, acknowledging the intensity of the Turkish fans.

From 0:1 to 4:1: The Catalans' resolute response

Although the match began under the attacking pressure of the hosts, «Barcelona» managed to take control of the game:

First-half resistance: Initially, «Galatasaray» opened the scoring, driving the stands wild and attempting to seal the first half in their favor;
Second-half turnaround: After the break, Hansi Flick's wards drastically turned the tide of the match in their favor, scoring four unanswered goals into the opponent's net and ultimately registering a major and confident 4:1 comeback.

A new challenge ahead: A trip to Paris

Having secured 3 important points in Istanbul, an even more complicated international challenge awaits «Barcelona»:

Next opponent — «PSG»: In the next round of the Champions League, Hansi Flick's team will once again play away, facing Paris's «Paris Saint-Germain» club;
A showdown in the heart of Europe: The trip to Paris is expected to be one of the most central matches of the round for the Catalans in the race for playoff spots and leadership in the overall standings.