Galatasaray, the reigning champion of the Turkish Süper Lig, have turned their focus onto Champions League football four years since playing in the continental elite arena as their opponents have been announced.
With Okan Buruk at the helm, Galatasaray are focused on building a strong and versatile squad to navigate through the qualifying matches in their quest for the Champions League group stages.
The anticipation of the 2023-24 season is already palpable, with the UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Conference League taking center stage.
The draw for the Champions League, the pinnacle of European club-level football, took place in Nyon, Switzerland, on Wednesday, determining The Lions' opponents.
As the Süper Lig champions, the Istanbul-based side will enter the Champions League qualifying rounds via the "national champions" route alongside five other teams.
The first legs of the second qualifying rounds are scheduled for July 25-26, followed by the return matches on Aug.1-2.
The draw for the third qualifying round will take place on July 24, while the playoff draw is set for August 7.
In the second qualifying round, Galatasaray will face the winner of the FK Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania) / FC Struga (North Macedonia) clash.
If they advance, potential opponents in the next round include Sparta Prague, AEK, Molde, Sheriff, Ludogorets, and BATE Borisov, depending on the results of the aforementioned teams.
If Galatasaray progress to the third qualifying round and the subsequent playoff round, they could potentially face Belgian champions Antwerp, along with Ferencvaros, Karabakh and Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), among other teams that emerge victorious.
Galatasaray's determination to secure a spot in the prestigious Champions League group stages is evident as they meticulously plan their transfers and strategy for the upcoming campaign.
