Acun Ilıcalı: Galatasaray executives think there are no other teams in Turkey

Fenerbahçe defeated Gaziantep FK 3-1 in the match they hosted during the 14th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig. Following the match, Fenerbahçe Vice President Acun Ilıcalı made statements to the press.

Starting his remarks by saying that they were happy, Ilıcalı said, "It was a very important victory for us. We set out with a big goal at the beginning of the season. When we lost points, we said that points can be lost.

You might lose today, but then you go on a streak, and it is unclear which team will cross the finish line at the end of the season. Today was a good example of this. The point gap is narrowing, and there is great belief from the team and the fans in supporting our team.

I would like to thank our fans very much today. I haven't heard such a powerful voice in a long time. We felt our fans' belief. This made us happy, and our players are also very affected by it. We have united as a community. We want to continue our path by winning in this difficult season as well," he stated.

"THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN OPPONENT"

Responding to the statements made by Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek yesterday, Ilıcalı said, "We are having difficulty explaining this issue. If you remember, a Galatasaray executive said, 'Referee errors are being made against us.' He said, 'Our rights are being violated.' We said, 'Challenge accepted.' We said, 'Let's examine it all together,' and they said, 'Okay.' Then we set up the scales to examine it, and we even brought in a foreign referee.

After that, our opponent disappeared. Our opponent did not find it appropriate to examine it. Don't get me wrong, they were going to bring their own referees. If you want to understand why they didn't accept it, you can look at the match played yesterday. Unfortunately, Galatasaray executives think there are no other teams in Turkey. Galatasaray executives need to understand well that there is an opponent. If you only watched the statements about yesterday's match, you would think Galatasaray was the victim.

We look at the positions; all referees agree that Galatasaray should have been down to 10 men. They should have been sent off 200 percent in the 25th minute of the match and then again in the 55th minute. You didn't give the opponent's penalty, you didn't see the red card. If you had given the red card, he wouldn't have been able to play in the Sivasspor match next week.

The referee made these two big mistakes in your favor, and you come out of this match and turn everything upside down. Do you think there are no other teams in Turkey? Can't you ever say that the rights of opposing teams are being violated? Weren't Eyüpspor's rights violated there? Shouldn't Galatasaray have been down to 10 men there? Shouldn't they have gone to Sivas with fewer players? It's as if only Galatasaray has to win. It's as if Turkey is a prisoner to Galatasaray," he said.

"WE SAID WE WOULD DISMANTLE THIS ORDER"

Regarding the rumors that Galatasaray has had less rest after their European matches, Acun Ilıcalı said, "They are objecting to the days the matches are played. Research is being done; there is no injustice. Everyone has rested for the same amount of time, but you are turning everything upside down.

In the Galatasaray club, after 8 yellow cards and 2 red cards were overlooked in the Beşiktaş match, a 200 percent red card was not given on their home field again. Thus, Galatasaray continued its streak of not seeing a red card at home for 2 years. Because the referee didn't see it, Davinson Sanchez said, 'You haven't sent me off for two weeks, let me step on both of his feet.'

An executive from Eyüpspor did not rebel against this situation. Is anyone saying that our rights were violated? Galatasaray is turning everything upside down. We said we would dismantle this order. We didn't say we wouldn't be defeated either. We have committed ourselves to this path. The whole community has united to become champions. Everyone will see what happens this year," he concluded.

News Source: İHA