Schalke 04 and Galatasaray will face off in the decisive second leg of the 2013 Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday.
In the first match, the teams tied 1-1 in a battle that ultimately gave the German side the edge. In that match Schalke dominated the early play until Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz flicked the ball over an oncoming defenseman with his heel and proceeded to rifle the shot into the top of the net to give his team a 1-0 lead. Schalke would draw even right before the break when Farfan broke through on goal on the right wing. The Galatasaray defenders converged on him and the winger threw a pass to a wide open Jermain Jones. The American shot the ball past goaltender Fernando Muslera and became the second American to score in the Champions League knockout stages; the only other player was DeMarcus Beasely in 2005 for PSV Eindhoven.
With the away goal, Schalke can afford to play a conservative game and attempt to play for a 0-0 draw. More importantly, the away goal puts tremendous pressure on Galatasaray to score. Since they will likely be on the offensive, the team could be susceptible to a smart counterstrike from the German side.
The team will be without Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the team's leading scorer; Huntelaar has four goals in the Champions League for Schalke.
Despite his absence the team's sporting director Horst Heldt feels that the team can endure his loss. "I am convinced we will take that next big step," he said. .
Predictions: Schalke Wins 2-0.
Start Time: 2:45 PM EST
TV Info: MSG Plus
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