Tag: Galatasaray

  • Istanbul United: Istanbul Review

    Istanbul United: Istanbul Review

    Farid Eslam and Olli Waldhauer document how fanatical soccer fans supporting rival Istanbul teams cast their loyalties aside to fight the Turkish government’s controversial urban redevelopment plans.

    istanbul_united_stillPurportedly inspirational films about sports bringing erstwhile antagonistic groups together have been omnipresent on screen for decades: get the ball rolling, as this subgenre goes, and warring soldiers (as in the French first-world-war drama Merry Christmas) or people with contrasting socio-political attitudes (The Blind Side,Invictus) could easily be reconciled. But first-time filmmakersFarid Eslam and Olli Waldhauer have offered a slight twist to the norm, with the documentary actually noting how diehard fans of Istanbul’s three leading soccer teams cast their bitter rivalries aside to join up in protesting against the Turkish government’s urban redevelopment plans.

    With its vibrant interviewees, powerful images and an incredible narrative, Istanbul United is a spectacle to behold and a radiant record of the Turkish city’s cultural and social make-up of the present day; making its world premiere at – where else? – the Istanbul International Film Festival, the film is ecstatically received by an audience ever ready to laugh (at the over-the-top fanaticism on show) and jeer (at footage of Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan) during the screening. A crowd-funded crowd-pleaser which manages to set blood boiling and hearts stirring, but non-Istanbullus would find its upbeat united-we-stand message ironically undermined by incomprehensibility, incoherence and in some cases unintended contradictions.

    Timed for release just as sports fans ready themselves for the onslaught of the World Cup soccer tournament in Brazil in June, Istanbul United is about soccer and politics. The emphasis is certainly on the former, with the city’s intense club rivalries meticulously delineated – lifelong hardcore supporters of Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas are shown hyped up to their eyeballs on the stands, while talking heads of three fan-group leaders’ explanations about their near-fundamentalist attachment to their teams are followed by archive news footage of acts of extreme hooliganism inside and outside stadiums.

    It’s not like the three leading interviewees are hooligans, mind, as their recollections about their unyielding commitment to their clubs are laced with remarks about how problems in sports and society converge: Galatasaray fan Kerem Gurbuz muses on how the fans’ communalism could be transformed into a force of good, Fenerbahce ultra Cahat Binici complains about soccer being turned into an industrial, capitalistic machine, and the grey-haired Besiktas’ Ayhan Gunerdescribing his mission of running the Carsi fan faction as “anarchism and rebellion” in action.

    These are thoughts left dangling like misplaced passes, enticing opportunities falling on players without a gameplan. Without broadening the discussion by noting how the fans’ fury correlates with social problems, the film abruptly jumps (from a sequence of fans singing foul-mouthed songs on the stands against the opposition team) to last summer’s protests at Gezi Park, in reaction to the government’s plan to replace the whole place with lavish commercial and residential projects. As police brutality against the demonstrators escalates, the soccer fans are seen mobilizing and finally ending up with sworn enemies marching alongside each other in a united front against the establishment.

    It’s certainly one of the most extraordinary moments the city has ever witnessed; but Istanbul Unitednever really accounts properly this rare occasion. Rarefied, more like: there was neither build-up to this climactic moment, nor enough explanation about what happened then and what that means for the future. Activists and journalists are heard praising the soccer fans’ efforts as a powerful show of strength against the authorities’ increasing authoritarian tendencies – which in the past few weeks are manifested in Erdogan’s attempts to block Twitter and YouTube in Turkey – but the legacy is not exactly sufficiently explained to those living outside Istanbul.

    Eslam and Waldhauer would have delivered closure by ending with the three ultras‘ accounts of their altered perspectives about soccer and society. The film’s denoument, however, is akin to snatching defeat from the jaws of a historic victory by scoring multiple own goals at stoppage time: barely has Binici finished telling a boy to “fight those who sow hate among us” that a group of fellow Fenerbahce fans nearby begin yet another round of expletive-laden songs against their rivals, while patriotism/nationalism rears its head as the national anthem is played out at a Besiktas match, an image risking a signal of everyone returning to old-school reverence towards the state machine. (The absence in the film of the city’s “fourth club”, the Erdogan-worshipping Kasimpasa, should also be noted.)

    It’s as if the visceral excitement has come to nowt as a sentimentalized, vague notion takes its place: the early promise of revolutionary change – heightened by fluid camerawork and editing – slowly dissipates. With Erdogan having just attained a handsome triumph in the country’s municipal elections despite constant protests on Istanbul’s high street – along which the festival’s main venues, where Istanbul United made its bow – the same old seems to have taken hold; without properly structuring its decidedly explosive interviews and images – many of which could well be employed as mirroring components, metaphors and so on – Eslam and Waldhauer’s debut is a clarion call but not enough to be a harbinger of a markedly changeable future.

    Venue: Istanbul International Film Festival (Documentary Time with NTV section), Apr. 12, 2014

    Production Companies: Nippes Yard, Port-au-Prince, ‘D Riot, Taskovski, Vox Pictures

    Directors: Farid Eslam, Olli Waldhauer

    Producers: Olli Waldhauer, Tina Schoepkewitz, Farid Eslam, Jan Krueger

    Director of Photography: Paul Roissant

    Editors: Fridolin Koerner, Joerg Offer

    International Sales: Nippes Yard, Port-au-Prince

    In English and Turkish

    88 minutes

  • Opel Announces Sponsorship Of Turkish Soccer Club Galatasaray Istanbul

    Opel Announces Sponsorship Of Turkish Soccer Club Galatasaray Istanbul

    Earlier this April, Opel has officially announced a partnership with Turkish soccer club Galatasaray Istanbul. The club has 18 national championships, 14 cup victories, and calls itself “the most popular and successful soccer club in Turkey”, and Opel says that the partnership is the next building block in the brand’s strategy.

    According to Opel, the partnership will allow the European General Motors subsidiary to capitalize on advertising opportunities with and surrounding the club. The Galatasaray Istanbul deal, whose amount hasn’t been disclosed, follows an agreement with Feyenoord Rotterdam as one of the leading Dutch teams.

    “Opel and soccer – a perfect fit”, said Dr. Thomas Sedran, Opel Vice President Operations, Business Development and Strategies. “The connection stands for brand values like dynamics, performance and passion. Galatasaray Istanbul is an important part of this, particularly in light of the growing markets in Eastern Europe. This won’t be the last step we take to further reinforce the connection between Opel and soccer.” Club president Ünal Aysal adds that “Galatasaray and Opel share many common values and both have a rich heritage. We are happy to be part of this professional collaboration and look forward to many shared successes.”

    On April 9th, Galatasaray was defeated by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final, preventing the Instanbul team from reaching the last four of the UEFA Cup Champions League.

    Preceding the deal with Galatasaray, Opel’s British sister brand Vauxhall signed partnerships with the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In the German National League, Opel is partnered with Borussia Dortmund, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, SC Freiburg and FSV Mainz 05. Meanwhile, Chevrolet is a sponsor to Manchester United and Liverpool F.C.

    The GM Authority Take

    The General and its brands seem to be on a major push to make all kinds of advertising and marketing partnerships with European soccer teams, all in an effort to build the brands and sell more cars. Let’s hope the efforts will pay off.

  • Ronaldo double prevents huge shock in Istanbul

    Ronaldo double prevents huge shock in Istanbul

    Gollerin Animasyon Videosu

    Champions League quarter-final second leg, Turk Telekom Arena – Galatasaray 3 (Eboue 57, Sneijder 70, Drogba 72) Real Madrid 2 (Ronaldo 8, 90+3); Real Madrid go through 5-3 on aggregate

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    Real Madrid resisted a stunning second-half onslaught from Galatasaray to lose 3-2 on the night in Turkey but progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League courtesy of a 5-3 aggregate win.

    Madrid looked to be cruising to the 24th European Cup semi-final in the club’s glorious history when Cristiano Ronaldo’s accomplished close-range finish after eight minutes left Galatasaray needing five goals in front of their home fans in Istanbul.

    But for 15 crazy minutes in the second half it appeared as though one of European football’s most unlikely comebacks could be on as Fatih Terim’s side left the men from Madrid rocking, Emmanuel Eboue sparking the hosts into life with a scorching effort on 57 minutes.

    When Wesley Sneijder nutmegged Raphael Varane and slotted the ball home on 70 minutes andDidier Drogba converted with a beautiful backheeled flick just two minutes later, Madrid appeared to be in danger of succumbing to the impossible.

    But after losing Alvaro Arbeloa to a late red card, Ronaldo slotted home a second in injury time to finally end Galatasaray’s resistance.

    Jose Mourinho was aiming to protect a proud record of having never lost a Champions League quarter-final in six previous attempts and while he was deprived of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos by suspensions, Galatasaray’s loss of eight-goal striker Burak Yilmaz was more significant in the context of the tie, even if Drogba and Sneijder both started.

    Madrid were packed with forward talent and after only three minutes demonstrated why they are Europe’s most potent counter-attacking force by moving the ball the length of the pitch in seconds thanks to some quick passing from Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria. Gonzalo Higuain was prevented from getting a shot away when Fernando Muslera ran off his line and Di Maria put the loose ball wide of the post via a deflection.

    Galatasaray had to contain the Spanish champions to have any real chance of progressing but with Madrid only failing to score in one of their past 34 games in Europe, that looked a distinctly unlikely prospect. As it transpired, Ronaldo needed only eight minutes to claim his 10th Champions League goal of the season.

    The Portuguese forward muscled aside Eboue to get on the end of a neat cut-back from Sami Khedira and caress the ball home on the volley from close range to give Madrid a 4-0 advantage on aggregate, and leave Galatasaray needing five.

    Gala remained game though, with former Madrid playmaker Sneijder lively enough as he operated in the pocket behind Drogba and Umut Bulut. The Dutchman – also a former favourite of Mourinho at Inter – tried to prise open the visiting defence with some diagonal passing and also went close with a chance of his own that bounced into the arms of Diego Lopez.

    But Madrid’s superior use of the ball ensured they had the better of the first half, with only a fine reaction stop from Muslera preventing Di Maria from firing home a second after a gorgeous backheel from Ronaldo.

    But after the Portuguese forward had wasted a fine chance in the early stages of the second half when getting his legs in a tangle and shooting against his standing leg, Gala pulled a ball back through a most unlikely source to set off a most unlikely resurgence. The ball, arriving low from Sneijder from the left, ran free on the edge of the box and Eboue executed a sensational drive with the outside of his boot from 20 yards that arrowed right into the top corner.

    Suddenly the Turkish side were full of confidence and they should have claimed a second goal just four minutes later. Madrid’s defence looked horribly static when a loose pass found Sneijder completely unmarked in the box but the Dutchman was guilty of a horrid effort, side-footing the ball well wide with Lopez at his mercy.

    Madrid were crumbling in front of Mourinho’s eyes and two goals in the space of two minutes allowed the home fans to dream of a truly unbelievable comeback.

    On 70 minutes, Sneijder claimed his first Champions League goal of the season when nutmegging Varane with a glorious first touch and then running around the defender to slot the ball past Lopez and into the bottom corner with his second.

    Drogba, though, surpassed even that effort two minutes later. Galatasaray’s second marquee signing of the season executed a quite stunning backheel as he span to meet a from a cross from the right and directed the ball inside the far corner.

    Madrid tried to muster a response as Ronaldo fired just over following a lofted pass from Modric but far more effective was Mourinho’s decision to bring on Raul Albiol for Mesut Ozil in an effort to deny Gala space in the final third.

    Though Arbeloa saw red for a second yellow card in the closing minutes, Madrid secured their place in the last four once again with a second of the night from Ronaldo, who latched onto a low cross from substitute Karim Benzema to slot a first-time effort past Muslera.

    MAN OF THE MATCH

    Didier Drogba (Galatasaray) – Ronaldo scored twice but Drogba helped spearhead Galatasaray’s spirited second-half performance with some typically industrious forward play and capped it off with a brilliant goal.

    PLAYER RATINGS

    GALATASARAY: Muslera 7, Eboue 7, Zan 7, Kaya 6, Riera 6, Melo 7, Altintop 6, Inan 8, Sneijder 8, Bulut 7, Drogba 8. Subs: Amrabat 7, Sarioglu 8, Elmander 7.

    REAL MADRID: Lopez 5, Essien 5, Varane 6, Pepe 6, Coentrao 5, Khedira 6, Modric 6, Di Maria 7, Ozil 7, Ronaldo 8, Higuain 5. Subs: Arbeloa 5, Benzema 6, Albiol 6.

  • Real sleeping like sultans in Istanbul

    HUGO CEREZO. ISTANBUL 04/08/2013

    In preparation for Tuesday’s clash with Galatasaray, the Real Madrid players are very much laying their heads in the lap of luxury. During their time in the Turkish city, they are staying at the Ciragan Palace, one of the world’s swankiest hotels, where a standard room will set you back some €600 a night, while the Sultan Suite comes in at a whopping €30,000.

    There is a reason for these high prices. The hotel is housed in a beautiful Baroque-style palace built under orders of Sultan Abdulaziz I between 1863 and 1867. Set on the European side of the city, across the Bosporus from Asia, it provides breathtaking views out over the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which should inspire the ‘Los Blancos’ players.

    The palace is one of the top function venues in Istanbul, hosting gala events for sports like Formula 1, the WTA and Euroleague Basketball, as well as international summits and even the press launch of the most recent James Bond film.

    After landing at a private terminal at Ataturk Airport on Sunday evening, the Real Madrid camp, headed by Florentino Pérez, was given a 70-strong police escort to the palace.

    via Real sleeping like sultans in Istanbul – MARCA.com (English version).

  • Wesley Senijder to arrive in Istanbul to sign for Galatasaray tomorrow

    Wesley Senijder to arrive in Istanbul to sign for Galatasaray tomorrow

    Internazionale star Wesley Sneijder will arrive in Istanbul tomorrow to officially sign for Galatasaray according to club CEO Lutfi Arıboğan.

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    “We welcome Wesley Sneijder to our family,” said Arıboğan in a statement released on GS TV.

    “God willing he will be successful, these types of transfers take a long time to complete, we conducted our negotiations in a proper manner.

    “First we approached the club, then we entered talks with their player.

    “Sneijder was keen on joining however, he had to be sure he was making the right move and made his very decision carefully.

    “We will arrive in Istanbul along with Sneijder tomorrow at 13:30 GMT, he is packing his bags as we speak.”

    Sneijder joined Inter from Real Madrid for €15 million in 2009 and went onto win the Serie A, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.

    via Wesley Senijder to arrive in Istanbul to sign for Galatasaray tomorrow – Soccer News – Turkish Football.

  • Sneijder’s wife: ‘I love Istanbul!’

    Sneijder’s wife: ‘I love Istanbul!’

    Wesley Sneijder’s wife has opened the door for a move to Galatasaray. “Istanbul is definitely nice! Have been there many times, love Turkey!”

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    This evening Galatasaray released a statement confirming negotiations have formally begun with Inter to sign Sneijder during the January transfer window.

    Initial reports suggest a deal has been agreed with the Nerazzurri worth around €10m, but that the player is unconvinced at what he sees as a step down.

    However, wife Yolanthe Cabau spoke to fans today on Twitter to discuss the new development.

    “Istanbul is definitely nice! Have been there many times, love Turkey!” she wrote when asked about the city.

    “But what will happen, I do not know… I can only say that Wes still loves Inter as much as he did before.”

    via Sneijder’s wife: ‘I love Istanbul!’ | Football Italia.