Icardi’s Reflection on the PAOK Match After Returning with a Goal

Mauro Icardi, Galatasaray’s striker who scored in his first game back from injury, shared his thoughts on their 3-1 victory over PAOK in the UEFA Europa League opener.

Galatasaray started their UEFA Europa League campaign with a 3-1 win over Greek side PAOK. Icardi, who netted the team’s final goal, shared his post-match reflections with TRT.

“It Was Important to Win the First Match After the Derby”

“It was crucial to start this journey with a win. We also played a derby last weekend, and winning the first match after that was important. Scoring a goal on my return from injury added even more significance.”

“My Teammates and Coaching Staff Are Always by My Side”

“I trained twice before the match. After returning from Argentina, I joined the team’s training sessions. My teammates and the coaching staff have always supported me, and I will continue to help them as much as I can on the field.”

Günay Güvenç: “We Carried the Joy of the Derby Into This Match”

Standing in for the suspended Fernando Muslera, goalkeeper Günay Güvenç, who played in the 3-1 victory over PAOK, also shared his thoughts after the game:

“Our goal was to win. We were disappointed not to qualify for the Champions League, but we wanted to start the Europa League campaign strongly. This was my first Europa League match, and we brought the joy of the derby into this game and won. Working with a goalkeeper like Muslera is a great privilege. I’m learning a lot from him, and there’s no age limit to learning. He constantly supports me. My job is to push him to be better while keeping myself ready.”

Kaan Ayhan: “I Was Very Emotional”

Kaan Ayhan, who captained the team in Muslera’s absence, said the following:

“We experienced an incredible atmosphere. I tried to prepare myself as captain, but I didn’t expect it to be such an emotional and important day. I felt very emotional when I stepped onto the pitch. The only thing that could have ruined it was not winning. I’m not injured, just tired. We’re playing a match every three days, and with me adjusting to right-back, the fatigue is building up.”