Okan Buruk: I'm having a hard time

Galatasaray Technical Director Okan Buruk stated that they want to increase their points total to six by winning the match against Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt in the third week of the UEFA Champions League.

Buruk made a statement at a press conference held at the Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities ahead of tomorrow's match at RAMS Park, which kicks off at 7:45 p.m. Team captain Abdülkerim Bardakcı also attended the meeting.

"We showed how assertive we are in the Champions League with the Liverpool match"

Recalling that they've reached three points in the Champions League in two weeks, Buruk said, " We made a significant start with our recent win against Liverpool. We didn't get the result we wanted in Frankfurt, but the Liverpool match clearly demonstrated our ambition and desire for the Champions League. The football we played with our fans, our concentration, and our desire were very high. It's crucial to bring that to the pitch tomorrow and win again to reach six points. We'll be facing a very important, valuable, and successful team. They were the Norwegian League champions last season and are currently leaders in their own league. Furthermore, their semi-final appearance last season shows how ambitious a team we'll be playing against in European competitions. Therefore, we need to prepare well, focus, experience the match well, and understand how good our opponent is."

When asked if Bodo/Glimt, who played on artificial turf in Norway, would struggle on natural grass tomorrow, the experienced manager said, "I don't think there will be a huge difference for them. It's just that teams traveling to Norway struggle because they're not used to it. I haven't seen many Norwegian teams experience this kind of difficulty away from home. If we were away, it would be a disadvantage for us, but right now, both teams have the same conditions."

The coach of the yellow-red team, when told that they were having a hard time against teams weaker than them on paper in Europe, said the following:

"Every match is a different story. Last season, we had some very important victories in the first leg of the Europa League. We'll prepare the same way. We care deeply about our opponent. This match will be the same as the Liverpool match. The players don't get to watch Bodo/Glimt very much. Everyone watches Liverpool. They have players we know better. Teams from leagues like ours, which aren't watched, look different to other teams. This also applies to Bodo/Glimt. After all, they don't watch the Turkish League. They don't know Galatasaray's form for sure. You prepare differently against Premier League teams and players you know. There's also a psychological aspect to this. But tomorrow's match against Liverpool will be no different for us."

"It is very difficult for me to choose the starting 11"

Galatasaray Technical Director Buruk said that he had difficulty in determining the starting 11 because he has a quality squad.

Buruk, emphasizing their strong squad, said, "Choosing the starting eleven and choosing the players you'll play next is very difficult for me. I make very difficult decisions. All the players want to play. The players who start and continue will be very important. Our starting eleven will start, but we also have players who will contribute after that."

"There will be no breaking match"

Okan Buruk said that the result they will get in this competition will not cause any positive or negative disappointment for them.

Reminding us that they are only playing their third Champions League match, Buruk said, " The points you get here will show how high you can set your sights. Winning is crucial, but we won't advance to the next round. We'll simply gain a significant advantage going forward. Every match in the Champions League is crucial and challenging. You can win or lose any match. So, if we earn three points tomorrow, it will be an advantage for us. But we're not finished by any means. We can see it as a game of upward mobility."

"İlkay's personality is as important as his football skills."

The experienced coach stated that the team's new transfer, İlkay Gündoğan, is very important for them.

Buruk said that İlkay joined the team he has been a fan of since childhood, and added:

İlkay is as important to us for his personality as he is for his footballing prowess. He adapted to the team very quickly. He's one of the players who played most of the Champions League matches alongside Leroy Sane. He made a significant effort to join Galatasaray. Galatasaray is a team he's been a fan of since childhood. Therefore, being here is a truly special experience. He's living his dream. We also have some very important players and characters. With their quick acceptance, İlkay has become a significant figure both on and off the pitch. His performance has improved in recent matches. He didn't start the season with us. He didn't come to us 100% ready, but it's very pleasing to see his performance improve as he plays. We're very happy he's here.

"Bodo/Glimt, always rising"

Okan Buruk said that Bodo/Glimt coming from a small city will not affect the match tomorrow.

When a foreign press member told him that Bodo/Glimt hails from Bodo, a town in northern Norway with a population of approximately 50,000, and that they would be competing against one of Türkiye's biggest teams, Buruk said:

Bodo/Glimt is a team I've been following since 2020. They're constantly on the rise. They even reached the Europa League semifinals last season. The population of our opponent's city is more important than how they play football. We're 11-on-11 on the pitch. The atmosphere in our stadium will be crucial. To create that atmosphere, we need to play well as a team. When we play good football, it's difficult for some opponents to get in front of our 50,000-strong crowd. Some have adapted and are enjoying it. Tomorrow, both teams will play 11-on-11.

"Singo has 2 more weeks"

The coach of the yellow-red team stated that Wilfried Singo, who is injured, will be away from the fields for at least 2 more weeks.

Okan Buruk, regarding the Ivory Coast defender who was injured in the Beşiktaş derby in the Trendyol Super League, said, " Wilfried Singo has at least two more weeks. We'll see how he progresses. We don't want to take risks by playing him too early. It looks like he has at least two more weeks."

Okan Buruk said that he believes that German star Leroy Sane started to make a breakthrough with the match against RAMS Başakşehir, where he scored 2 goals.

Buruk, noting that Sane is still adapting, said, "Every new player has an adaptation period. Sane went to the World Club Championship in the summer. Returning to training after a short leave delayed his return both physically and psychologically. Moving to a different country is a matter of adjusting to his new teammates. Players take time to get used to each other. We also played with very different squads. He desperately needed this kind of break. It's crucial that he get this break with the Başakşehir match. We're constantly working with our players, but ultimately, it all comes down to the player's performance on the pitch. Sometimes, when the team isn't performing well, we see a decline in players. We're on a better path now. I need all my players."

Source: TRT Sports