Turkey
Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu
Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu is the home of Galatasaray SK in Istanbul. It is named after the founder of the club, Ali Sami Yen. The stadium has a capacity of 22 000. It is located in Mecidiyeköy, one of the most crowded quarters of central Istanbul. Galatasaray SK decided to build a large, modern stadium in the 1940s, and construction works began in 1943. Due to the difficulties faced during the Second World War years, only a small stadium could initially be built, which was opened in 1945. However, construction works continued on the site and the current stadium was completed in 1964. The stadium was inaugurated in December 1964, with a friendly game between Turkey and Bulgaria. Unfortunately, tragedy struck during the opening match. In one of the stands many people fell onto the first floor, which caused numerous injuries, but luckily none of them were fatal. In the past, games were played in front of more than 40 000 spectators in the Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu, which is nicknamed Hell by Galatasaray SK's supporters. The nickname is Hell because of its intimidating atmosphere and the enthusiastic support of the fans who often make mass use of torches, smoke, drums, flags and giant posters to create visual grandeur and apply psychological pressure on visiting teams. Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu is important for Galatasaray SK because it has seen many victories against renowned European football clubs, such as AC Milan, FC Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid CF and many others.
