Galatasaray’s Champions League campaign hit another speed bump Tuesday night, falling 1-0 at Monaco after a gritty but wasteful performance that left the Turkish giants stuck on nine points heading into a decisive final stretch.
Monaco seized control early at Stade Louis II, but Galatasaray rode out the pressure and steadily wrestled the tempo away.
Okan Buruk’s side created the half’s best looks – İlkay Gündoğan blazing over from close range in the 13th minute and Barış Alper Yılmaz smashing the post shortly after – yet their sharpest moments produced no reward.
At the other end, Uğurcan Çakır delivered a masterclass.
The Galatasaray goalkeeper denied two Maghnes Akliouche efforts, pushed aside a Takumi Minamino strike and kept the first half scoreless with a commanding presence that frustrated the hosts.
Monaco came out harder after the break, but Uğurcan refused to yield.
He first saved Minamino’s shot that triggered a VAR review, then dived full stretch to stop Denis Zakaria’s 51st-minute penalty – a moment that briefly silenced the home crowd.
Minutes later, he denied Folarin Balogun twice in one-on-one situations, keeping Galatasaray afloat almost single-handedly.
But the night unraveled in the 68th minute, moments after Uğurcan succumbed to a thigh injury and was replaced by Günay Güvenç.
On Monaco’s ensuing corner, a scrambled ball fell kindly for Balogun, who poked home the winner past the cold substitute to put the French side up 1-0.
Galatasaray pushed late but never rediscovered their first-half spark, finishing a second straight Champions League match without a goal.
The loss follows last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise and leaves Buruk’s team with back-to-back shutouts for the first time in the competition this season.
Galatasaray’s European run had opened with promise despite a heavy 5-1 loss in Frankfurt. They rebounded with a statement 1-0 win over Liverpool, a clinical 3-1 dispatching of Bodo/Glimt and a dominant 3-0 victory at Ajax.
But injuries, suspensions and a thinning bench have choked that momentum. With three wins and now three defeats, the Turkish champions remain at nine points – level with Monaco – but will now need a crucial home performance against Atletico Madrid next month.
Monaco, previously sitting on a modest record of one win, three draws and a loss, climbed to nine points with their second victory of the campaign.
Uğurcan Çakır was the undeniable star.
His command, reflexes and penalty save kept Galatasaray alive long past the match’s balance.
But his night ended painfully in the 59th minute after colliding with Balogun.
He tried to continue for nearly 10 minutes, but eventually signaled to the bench.
Buruk later confirmed the goalkeeper is likely to miss the upcoming Antalyaspor league match.
“He tried to stay in, but the muscle wouldn’t allow it,” Buruk said. “We’re going through a difficult cycle – injuries everywhere, and tonight even our goalkeeper went down.”
Victor Osimhen’s remarkable European scoring run – eight straight matches dating to last season – came to a halt in Monaco.
The Nigerian striker worked tirelessly but never found the opening to extend his tally. He remains on six goals in this year’s Champions League and 12 across his eight-match streak.
While Monaco celebrated the win, their supporters made their frustration clear.
Angry over poor domestic form and inconsistent European showings, fans hung their banners upside down and remained silent for the first 15 minutes, only finding their voice once Balogun’s strike hit the net.
In his post-match remarks, Okan Buruk expressed disappointment and confusion over how the match slipped away.
“It felt like a night where we kept asking ourselves, ‘How are we not winning this?’” he said. “The first half was everything we wanted – dominance, chances, composure. But the second half turned into a different match entirely.”
Buruk said defensive absences, multiple injuries and a shrinking bench forced him into difficult decisions.
“Lately it’s the same players every week,” he added. “Our depth evaporated. We have defenders suspended, players injured, and tonight we had no defensive option on the bench. It’s the toughest period I’ve experienced.”
He noted the club’s financial limits, highlighting the heavy investments already made, including Victor Osimhen’s 75 million euro ($87.3 million) transfer.
Buruk confirmed that Osimhen, Wilfried Singo, Mario Lemina and Ismail Jakobs will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, further thinning the squad ahead of a crucial run.
“We’ll regroup, and we’ll fix what we can in the winter window,” he said. “For now, we turn the page and focus on Atletico Madrid.”
