Galatasaray’s struggles on the road in the Champions League continued Wednesday as Sporting Lisbon rallied for a 3-1 victory, handing the Turkish champions their first defeat of the season.

Playing in their 19th Champions League campaign, Galatasaray made an ideal start at Jose Alvalade Stadium when Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio turned the ball into his own net in the fifth minute.

The visitors controlled the opening stages and looked dangerous going forward, but Sporting gradually took control. Geny Catamo equalized in the 27th minute, and the Portuguese side grew increasingly comfortable as the first half progressed.

Galatasaray had a chance to restore their lead when Leroy Sane found himself with a clear opportunity in the 37th minute, but the German forward could not convert.

The teams went into halftime tied 1-1, but Sporting took charge after the break.

Luis Suarez put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in the 57th minute before Rodrigo Zalazar extended Sporting’s advantage with a free kick six minutes later.

Galatasaray could not find a response and left Lisbon with a 3-1 defeat.

The loss ended Galatasaray’s unbeaten start to the season. Okan Buruk’s team had won three and drawn one of their opening four matches, all in the Turkish Super Lig, and entered the Sporting game on a three-match winning streak.

A difficult start

The defeat continued Galatasaray’s long-running struggles in the opening round of the Champions League league or group stage.

The Turkish side have won only one of their last 10 opening matches in the competition. They have drawn four and lost five during that span.

Their lone victory came in 2018-19, when Galatasaray opened with a 3-0 home win over Lokomotiv Moscow.

Their other recent opening-day results include a 0-0 draw with Bordeaux in 2006-07, a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United in 2012-13, a 6-1 home loss to Real Madrid in 2013-14, a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht in 2014-15, a 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid in 2015-16, a 0-0 draw at Club Brugge in 2019-20, a 2-2 draw with Copenhagen in 2023-24 and defeats against Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting in the last two campaigns.

Just one away win in 16 European matches

Galatasaray’s problems have been even more pronounced away from home.

They have won just one of their last 16 European away matches, a run that began with a 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in the 2023-24 Champions League.

Their only victory during that stretch came last season, when they beat Ajax 3-0 in Amsterdam.

Galatasaray have drawn three of their other 15 away matches and lost 12, underlining the difficulty they have had producing consistent results outside Istanbul in European competition.

The Sporting defeat added another chapter to that disappointing run.

Sporting fans target Leao

The match also marked Rafael Leao’s first return to Sporting’s stadium as an opposing player, and the Galatasaray forward was greeted with a hostile reception.

Leao came through Sporting’s academy before leaving the club in controversial circumstances in 2018. A group of masked Sporting supporters had raided the club’s training ground and attacked players, prompting several footballers, including Leao, to argue that their safety was at risk and terminate their contracts.

Leao subsequently joined French club Lille as a free agent despite having a reported 45 million-euro release clause.

His performances in France earned him a move to AC Milan, who paid about 30 million euros for the Portugal international.

A Portuguese sports arbitration court later ruled in 2022 that Leao was liable to Sporting and ordered him to pay the club about 20 million euros, including interest. Milan ultimately covered the amount under an agreement with Lille, bringing the total cost of Leao’s transfer to the Italian club to around 50 million euros.

When Leao returned to Jose Alvalade with Galatasaray, Sporting supporters made their feelings clear.

Leao came on for Sane in the 58th minute and was loudly booed whenever he touched the ball.

Galatasaray’s European scoring run survives

Despite the defeat, Galatasaray maintained one impressive European streak.

At least one team has scored in each of their last 40 European matches.

The last time Galatasaray played a European match that ended 0-0 was in March 2022, when they drew with Barcelona at Camp Nou in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie.

Since then, the Turkish side have played 40 consecutive European matches in which the deadlock has been broken by at least one goal.