Galatasaray started their UEFA Europa League campaign with a victory against PAOK. Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk evaluated the win.
In their first UEFA Europa League match, Galatasaray defeated PAOK 2-1 at home. The goals for the yellow-reds came from Baba Rahman (own goal) and Yunus Akgün. Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk shared his thoughts on the victory with TRT Spor.
“Our fans gave us great support. They have always supported me, even during the few tough times we had. Our confidence is very high. From the outside, it may seem like there are storms, but we are very good internally. There will always be challenges. Galatasaray is a very important community. Once the transfer window closes, things settle naturally. Four games, consecutive victories. I don’t just see it as victories; we played very well. We played well against a team like PAOK that came to defend. When the game and the fans come together, it’s a beautiful unity. The game we’re playing is an enjoyable one. When the opponent has the ball, we try to win it back, and when we have it, we try to create. The players enjoy this situation. Our offensive players like being in the opponent’s half.”
When asked how he will choose between Osimhen, Icardi, and Batshuayi, Buruk said, “We will play many games. All our players can play in different positions and formations. We can even play with a three-man forward line against a team playing with a three-man defense.”
“Gabriel Sara today played as a 6, an 8, and a 10. I estimate he may have run close to 13 kilometers. Jakobs also used the corridor effectively. We will take good care of our players and evaluate them well. We have options in the wing positions and at left-back. We need to manage Jakobs carefully.”
Praise for Yunus Akgün
“We are taking it game by game. When the match ends, we look at the players we have available and consider our formations. Even during the international break, when we didn’t have our center-backs, we tested three-man defenses. We have many versatile players. We played Yunus as a wing-back, and he played very well. When he arrived at the start of the season, he wasn’t at his best. He has improved physically. The more he plays, the more his endurance and running distances increase. In terms of high-speed distances, Yunus is making great progress.”
