Istanbul (AFP)

A goal and then that's it. Galatasaray's flagship mercato summer rookie, Radamel Falcao has a shy debut with the Turkish club, which hosts Tuesday's Paris SG on day two of the Champions League.

For this clash with the Paris club, fans hope for an awakening of their "Tiger", quite harmless since his arrival in early September in Istanbul after six years at AS Monaco, interspersed with two missed loans in the Premier League.

Thousands of people were singing and smuggling the 33-year-old Colombian striker and his family to the airport a month ago. A usual fervor in Turkey, but perhaps a little more important for fans of "Gala". From the many rookies of their club this summer, Falcao is, with over 300 goals on the clock, the most prestigious and media.

In his new club, the former Monegasque has found familiar faces passed by the Ligue 1 as Younès Belhanda, Jean-Michael Seri, Mario Lemina and Jimmy Durmaz. Fatih Terim's team also includes internationals such as French world champion Steven Nzonzi, Sofiane Feghouli and Ryan Babel.

Everything had started well for the former scorer of Porto and Atletico Madrid. First match against Kasimpasa and first goal, synonymous with victory for his.

His C1 debut was much less convincing. Almost invisible for 90 minutes, Falcao had to settle for a 0-0 in Bruges, the most affordable opponent of a group raised with PSG and Real Madrid.

- Homecoming with Mbappé -

In the league, against the modest Yeni Malatyaspor, the Colombian made a flash appearance, replacing in extra time Seri, scorer in this match 1-1.

Terim has preferred to preserve his star player for the two most anticipated games of this season: the home derby against Fenerbahçe and the reception of Paris.

But against the "Fener", Falcao, who played almost the entire game, did not find the net, if not once, but in an offside position. Five strikes just for Galatasaray and a pale 0-0 to the key. Not enough to reassure the PSG.

More than the personal performance of Falcao, the Turkish press prefers to point the Terim style, like the columnist Daily Saba, Arda Alan Isik, who criticizes the technician the abuse of long balloons and a management that rests too much on individualities.

"You will not have the opportunity to make as many centers in each match, some opponents simply will not allow it," said the reporter.Falcao can easily become a centerpiece and play collective attack. that at that time, combined with its beautiful finish, that it will be effective ".

What better way to quell the nascent doubts than a confrontation against PSG Kylian Mbappé his former friend and attacker in Monaco with whom he won a title of champion of France in 2017 on the French Riviera. "Legend", accompanied by a tiger emoji, had tweeted the young striker now Parisian, at the time of departure of the L1 Colombian. "Kinky my crack," Falcao replied.

Galatasaray is waiting for his striker, but also his leader. A role that Falcao, captain in Monaco, was able to endorse, as in August 2016, when Monaco was badly embarked before the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League ... against Fenerbahçe. The Colombian had found the words and the way of the goal to send his team in roadblocks.

© 2019 AFP