Galatasaray: Key players

Claudio Taffarel
Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 33

A goalkeeper who has come under fire for his erratic style, but has the pedigree to prove his critics wrong.

Poor players do not win World Cups, and after success at USA '94, Taffarel did everything he could to repeat the triumph in France two years ago.

The keeper was his country's semi-final hero, saving two Dutch penalties in the last four shoot-out, and could not be blamed for the three French goals in the final.

The third of thoese strikes was of course scored by Arsenal's Emmanuel Petit, and Taffarel will be keen to exact revenge on the midfielder when he faces him again.

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Georghe Popescu
Nationality: Romanian
Age: 32

Experienced former Tottenham defender who has won almost 100 international caps since he began playing international football 12 ago.

What he has lost in pace he makes up for in skill, and he is a confident figure at the heart of the Turkish club's defence.

Popescu is also capable of scoring, having done so 15 times for Romania.

He will no doubt receive the support of many Spurs fans on Wednesday as he bids to emulate Nayim - the former Spurs star who scored the winner against Arsenal in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final.

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Georghe Hagi
Nationality: Romanian
Age: 35

The "Maradona of the Carpathains"' is as important to Galatasaray as he is to Romania's Euro 2000 hopes this summer.

A veteran of numerous international and European campaigns, he defied English critics who said he could not last a whole match by playing a full part in the semi-final win over Leeds.

Hagi's role is as a playmaker, sitting behind the front two and carving out chances with one of the finest left feet in world football.

A win in Copenhagen would be yet another highlight of Hagi's club career, which took in the Spanish and Italian league titles before his move to Turkey.

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Okan Buruk
Nationality: Turkish
Age: 26

Only now is this young star beginning to live up to the colossal reputation he developed as a teenager.

He was the lynch-pin of the Turkish side that won the European under-18 title in 1992, when his raw brilliance and stocky build brought heady comparisons with Maradona.

However it was not until Gala's championship-winning campaign of 1997-1998 that his form began to return.

Coach Fatih Terim moved him from the centre of midfield to the right where his crosses provided the perfect ammunition for Hakan Sukur.

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Hakan Sukur
Nationality: Turkish
Age: 28

A burly, English-style striker known for powerful shooting and heading.

The "Bull of the Bosphorous" is now in his second spell with Gala after an unhappy time in Serie A with Torino.

He was the Turkish league's most prolific striker last season as the club took its third title in a row, and scored three goals in five Champions League matches this season.

A measure of the respect in which he is held in Turkey was shown when the Turkish Prime Minister was a witness at his marriage. The ceremony itself was broadcast live on national television.