Fernando Muslera’s long, glittering reign at Galatasaray ends Friday night – one final curtain call at RAMS Park, and it’s all over.
The 38-year-old Uruguayan goalkeeper, who joined the Turkish giants in 2011, confirmed with emotion that he’ll play his last match against RAMS Başakşehir in the season finale of the Süper Lig.
“Tomorrow, I’ll play my final minutes,” Muslera said. “From the first day, I believed I would win trophies here. After 14 proud years, I leave knowing I made the right decision coming to this beautiful country and this incredible club.”
Over 14 seasons, Muslera helped secure 19 trophies in a Galatasaray jersey, making 442 league appearances and becoming a legend between the posts.
Joining him in a bittersweet goodbye is Belgian veteran Dries Mertens.
The 37-year-old, who arrived from Napoli in 2022, will play his 100th and final Süper Lig match for the club, closing out his three-season Turkish stint with five trophies.
Newly-crowned Süper Lig champions Galatasaray host fifth-place RAMS Başakşehir in Saturday’s closing act of the 2023–24 season. Kickoff is set for 20:00 local time.
Galatasaray enters the final week 11 points clear of archrival Fenerbahçe, boasting 29 wins, five draws, and just a single loss across 35 league matches.
Başakşehir, meanwhile, has recorded 16 victories and 54 points, securing fifth place.
In the reverse fixture, Galatasaray edged Başakşehir 2-1.
The Lions are riding a tidal wave of momentum, unbeaten in their last 10 official matches, winning every single one. Since their last loss – at the hands of Beşiktaş in week 29 – Galatasaray have outscored opponents 30-4.
Their run includes dominant league wins against Samsunspor, Bodrum FK, Trabzonspor, Göztepe, Kayserispor, Sivasspor, and Eyüpspor.
In the Turkish Cup, they knocked out Fenerbahçe, Konyaspor, and Trabzonspor to hoist the silverware.
Most impressively, Galatasaray has kept clean sheets in their last four matches, including a 3-0 Cup Final triumph over Trabzonspor.
Galatasaray haven't lost a home league match since May 2023.
They've gone 17 games unbeaten at RAMS Park this season – winning 14 and drawing three – while scoring 44 goals and conceding just 15.
Galatasaray closes the season as both the highest-scoring and least-conceding team in the league. The title winners have netted 89 goals and allowed only 31 across 35 matches.
For their final outing, Galatasaray will miss four players:
Lucas Torreira (on national duty)
Alvaro Morata (on national duty)
Yunus Akgün and Abdülkerim Bardakcı (injured)
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will look to cap off a prolific season by sealing the Süper Lig Golden Boot.
The 26-year-old has struck 25 league goals in 29 appearances and scored 36 in all competitions.
He leads the scoring chart, chased by Başakşehir’s Krzysztof Piatek (21) and Trabzonspor’s Simon Banza (19).
Friday’s match might also mark Osimhen’s farewell. Signed on loan from Napoli, his contract expires after the final whistle – and it’s unclear whether Galatasaray will trigger a permanent deal.
