Galatasaray's stadium, the AliSamiYen SporKompleksi – also known as RAMSPark – remains one of the most hostile venues in the Champions League. Opened in 2011, the venue houses around 54,000 fans and, according to the club, reached the world noise record with 131.76 decibels during a derby against Fenerbahçe on March 18 of that year. The atmosphere created in the stands, accompanied by flyers with messages such as “Welcome to hell”, turns the stadium into a true “Turkish hell” for the visiting teams.
The name of the stadium pays tribute to the club's founder, AliSamiYen, and is sponsored by the multinational RAMSGlobal, which operates in sectors such as construction, health and food. Despite its moderate capacity compared to other large European stadiums, the passion of the local fans manages to generate an atmosphere of environmental pressure that, according to the club, is the most intense in the competition.
Barcelona, for its part, has shown that it is not intimidated in Istanbul. During the last three visits to AliSamiYen, the Blaugrana emerged victorious. In 2002, under the direction of CarlesRexach, the team won 1‑0 with a goal from LuisEnrique. The following season, with LouisvanGaal in charge, Barça went 2‑0, with goals from Kluivert and another from LuisEnrique, which coincided with his hundredth goal for the club. In 2023, in the new stadium, the club triumphed again in the round of 16 of the Europa League, with goals from Pedri and Aubameyang.
Barcelona's recent record at the AliSamiYen suggests that the combination of experience and technical quality can overcome even the most intimidating environment. With the next Champions League season underway, Barça and Galatasaray fans are already paying attention to the upcoming matches, where the noise and passion of the stadium will continue to be key factors in the dynamics of the matches.