Okan Buruk: "We played the strongest game possible against a strong team"

In the third match of the UEFA Champions League Group A, Galatasaray was defeated 3-1 at home by the German side Bayern Munich. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk said, "We played against the favorite team of the group. A team that has not lost a group stage match for a long time. We took the field today to win, both to end our opponent's streak and to maintain our ambitious position in the group. Our game was effective in the first half. Perhaps no team has reached these numbers, this much pressure, and this much possession against Bayern Munich for a long time. After doing this very well, we did not finish it with the score. There was a balanced game in the second half until it became 2-1. They made transitions very effectively. After 2-1, it led to our opponent taking shots at our goal. I am happy with the performance my players showed. I thank our fans for their support. Our game combined with their support, but an important game emerged, yet we could not reflect it in the result. We are sad that we could not send them home happy. We have seen what level we are at in terms of game, quality, and strength," he said.

"We played the strongest game possible against a strong team"

When asked about criticisms regarding his late substitutions, Buruk replied, "You never know when a goal will come. Something goes wrong in the game, and you make a substitution for that. It could be 2 minutes earlier or 3 minutes later. We scored 2 goals while making substitutions in the Manchester match as well. When you look at the world, big teams and big managers do not make player substitutions that early. There are managers who do not make substitutions. It is bad luck for us that the team conceded a goal at that moment. You cannot explain it as anything other than bad luck. After conceding a goal, everyone will look for a culprit, of course. We did a lot of things right today. We played the right game. Perhaps it is the strongest game a Turkish team has played against such a strong team in many years," he answered.

"It is valuable to me if you can create such positions against Bayern Munich"

Stating that they created chances but could not convert them, the yellow-reds' manager said, "We experienced something similar in the Beşiktaş match. We also went through this for a period last year. We create many chances but cannot score. We have very good players in finishing. The motivation of the Champions League is perhaps a bit higher. We can say the same for the Ankaragücü match. We took 35-36 shots and barely won 2-1. In general, we create positions, but we need to finish them. For me, the main thing is that it is valuable if you can create such positions against Bayern Munich. When you look at the big picture, there was a good performance. Our opponent evaluated the positions they found. They have two of the best wingers in the world. They punished us," he expressed.

When asked about the reason for choosing Kazımcan Karataş at left-back, Okan Buruk said, "Angelino is a player I like very much. He is a player I really wanted to come here. He is an offensive full-back. In terms of defense, he is behind compared to his offense. I saw Kazım's speed a bit more in the front, and he is a player who can also play with contact. From time to time, he made these contacts during the game. Sometimes we also used Abdülkerim during the game. There is also a defensive duo that is doing well in the center. I did not want to break that duo. Abdülkerim is not a player who enjoys playing left-back. We used him from time to time during the game. In general, this was my thought between the two players," he said.

"We gave up on the match mentally after it became 2-1"

Stating that he does not think they were physically behind Bayern Munich, Buruk said, "After a certain minute, our opponent gained superiority over us in transition. They have the fastest players in the world. Sané played on the left, Coman on the right, and they made vertical runs to the goal. Our psychological decline was after 2-1. We gave up mentally very early. The players who came on did not raise the energy either. After it became 2-1, we gave up on the match mentally. I think this was our biggest problem," he declared.

News Source: İHA