Galatasaray Soccer Star Noa Lang Suffers Gruesome Hand Injury After Colliding With Advertising Board In UEFA Champions League Game

Galatasaray soccer player Noa Lang suffered a hand injury after colliding with advertising boards. 

Galatasaray was playing against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League. Lang played 35 minutes before his freak injury. Lang was given a 3.7 out of five rating for this game. This made him the second-highest-rated player for Galatasaray behind goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.

Lang was challenging Curtis Jones for the ball when he stumbled and fell into the wall. His thumb got stuck between the advertising boards, and he was in visible pain after freeing his thumb. 

Lang was taken to the hospital right after his injury. Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk said doctors told him the injury may require surgery.

“He’s going to the hospital right now, because of an important issue with his finger,” Buruk said. “Very quickly, they have brought him there. If there is a necessity for an operation here immediately, there will be a decision to make.”

Burak’s instincts proved correct. Lang had surgery on his thumb the next day. No timetable has been released for Lang’s recovery. However, thumb injuries historically take eight to 12 weeks to heal. Since soccer doesn’t require hands, he may be able to return sooner than expected. 

Galatasaray is based on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. The club won the Super League championship in Turkey in 2024-25. Galatasaray is currently ranked No. 20 in the UEFA Champions League with a record of 3-4. Liverpool is ranked No. 3 with a record of 6-2. 

Lang had two assists for Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League, which was the top 10 for the team. 

With this loss, Galatasaray was eliminated from the Champions League playoffs. Their next game is on April 5 against Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super League. The game will be played at Papara Park in Trabzon, Turkey.