ICELAND COACH ÅGE HAREIDE: TURKEY IS A VERY GOOD TEAM!

Iceland National Team Coach Åge Hareide emphasized the passionate Turkish fans before the match against Turkey, saying, “We are well aware of how passionate Turkish fans are and how much they love football. We also know the kind of love they expect, especially towards their national team.”

In the second match of Group 4 in UEFA Nations League B, Iceland will face the Turkish National Football Team tomorrow at 9:45 PM at Gürsel Aksel Stadium. Iceland managed to defeat Karabakh 2-0 in their first match. Speaking at a press conference at Gürsel Aksel Stadium ahead of the Turkey match, Åge Hareide said they had arrived in Turkey with a full squad, stating, “Everyone is in great condition right now, and everyone is ready to play. This makes me really happy. We are ready for tomorrow’s match against Turkey.”

“We Spent a Day Traveling and Had One Training Session”

Hareide acknowledged that Turkey is one of the strongest teams in their group, saying, “We could only have one training session, as one day was spent traveling. It will be challenging for the players, but I believe they can handle this despite the limited time. We had no injuries in the first match, and I think we have done good planning. What’s important right now is to be together and work together. The players need to adapt quickly from their club teams to the national team. This is crucial, and I believe we are on the right track. We always need to prioritize tactical planning to conserve our energy, and we know the players are capable of this.”

“We Are Looking Forward to the Match”

Commenting on the atmosphere, Hareide said, “Playing any match in Turkey, whether in Istanbul, Izmir, or any other city, means playing in a great atmosphere. We have shown before that we can handle these kinds of atmospheres. Turkey has high expectations, largely due to the passion of their fans and the high standards of their national team. We know that any match played in Turkey will be intense and enjoyable. We are looking forward to tomorrow’s game. It’s nice for us to be in Izmir, where the weather is warmer compared to Iceland, and the atmosphere will be great.”

“I Have Offensive Players”

The 70-year-old coach pointed out that Turkey plays strongly at home, stating, “We need to evaluate what system we will play and how many forwards we will use. Both are now with new clubs, and I might play them. What I want to emphasize is that I believe I have really strong offensive players. This makes me happy, so we can evaluate different options.”

“Turkey Suffered an Unlucky Red Card”

Hareide remarked that Turkey was unfortunate to receive a red card in their match against Wales, saying, “In my opinion, it was a challenge for the ball. It shouldn’t have happened, but Turkey showed great morale and motivation. Even after being reduced to 10 men, they reacted well and created dangerous attacks towards the end. I want to say again that after going down to 10 men, Turkey played by raising their standards. I think this gave the team a positive energy boost.”

Gudmundsson: “Turkey Has Very Good Players”

Icelandic player Gudmundsson also spoke about the Turkish players, saying, “Right now, many Turkish players are playing at the highest levels for important clubs. Some of them are at Real Madrid and Inter Milan, and they are doing very well there. Turkey has a national team with very good players. We must be careful not only with a few but with every single player. They play in a high-level league, so we really need to be cautious against our opponent.”