Galatasaray Head Coach Okan Buruk stated that his team played well in the first half against Gaziantep FK. Speaking about the upcoming Fenerbahçe derby in the Süper Lig, Buruk said, “Overall, I am satisfied with our performance. This match was very critical before the Fenerbahçe game. Next week, we will be on the field to win.” Buruk also confirmed that Mauro Icardi will not play in the derby.
In the Trendyol Süper Lig 3rd week postponed match, Galatasaray defeated Gaziantep FK at home with a 3-1 victory, marking their fifth consecutive win in the league.
The goals that secured the win for Galatasaray were scored by Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, and Michy Batshuayi.
After the match, Galatasaray Head Coach Okan Buruk evaluated the 90 minutes.
“WE WERE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN THE PREVIOUS MATCH”
Regarding the victory, Okan Buruk said, “We wanted to win, take the lead, and maintain our game. The first half of the match was similar to the previous one. I think we were more productive compared to the last game. In the second half, our tempo dropped a bit. We were slightly below the first half’s performance. We didn’t have many options in attack today. We had a limited number of players from our main squad to bring into the game. Overall, I am happy with the way we played. This match was very critical before the Fenerbahçe match. Next week, we will be on the field to win.”
“HE SHED THE BURDEN”
Talking about the performances of Yunus Akgün and Barış Alper Yılmaz, who both scored for Galatasaray, Okan Buruk said, “Yunus especially needs to play matches. In the previous period, we gave him less playing time. I really liked his performance in the last match. With today’s goal, he shed the burden. Barış’s goal was also a morale booster. I was pleased with the performances of Yunus and Barış. Our first-half performance was better. We believe Yunus will improve his form after this goal.”
“WE WILL PLAY TO WIN”
About the upcoming Fenerbahçe derby in the Süper Lig this weekend, Okan Buruk stated, “The derby excitement starts when the fixtures are drawn. We all want a derby with no fights, where the quality of football is high, and the focus is on football rather than the referee’s performance. We will go to win. We know our opponent will be on the field with the same desire and passion. We must stay calm and focus on our game. We want to win; we will play to win.”
ICARDI’S STATUS
Okan Buruk confirmed that Mauro Icardi will not play in the Fenerbahçe match, stating, “Icardi’s treatment continues; he is not currently in a condition to play. It is too early for him to play. I think we need at least 1 week to 10 days. He will definitely not be in the Fenerbahçe match.”
