Dursun Özbek responds to Ali Koç's claim that 'They won't let Fenerbahçe be champions while I am president': 'If you are sincere, explain it'

Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek, Galatasaray Second President Metin Öztürk, and Galatasaray Sportif AŞ Deputy Chairman Erden Timur held a press conference regarding current issues.

Dursun Özbek responded to the statement by Fenerbahçe Sports Club President Ali Koç, who said, "They won't let Fenerbahçe be champions while I am here."

Özbek stated, "Perhaps for the first time in sports history, a president has declared, 'They won't let us be champions while I am president.' Moreover, this person has been president for 5 years. Who won't let you be champion? If you are sincere, explain it. Is it the federation, the referees, or other presidents? In Galatasaray, a person who makes such a statement could not remain president for even a second."

Dursun Özbek's statements are as follows;

"We want to stay on the pitch and win there. They are trying to pull us off the pitch in a planned manner. A match was played in Sivas yesterday. The referee for this match was Zorbay Küçük. Well, Zorbay Küçük is one of the Football Federation's referees. The match played in Sivas is a very important match for the Super Lig. How is it that he is appointed here within the framework of the ongoing competition? In the matches officiated by Zorbay Küçük, our valuable rival Fenerbahçe has a points average of 2.36, while Galatasaray has 1.75. This was also included in our previous complaints. In the Antalyaspor match, Muslera's foot was stepped on, but he didn't see it. The words he used towards our captain Kerem last year were also discourteous. VAR referee Alper Ulusoy is the referee who applied the 6-second rule to Galatasaray for the first and only time. I ask Zorbay Küçük and Alper Ulusoy, what do you want from Galatasaray? I ask why you turn a blind eye to such inconsistencies at this level and continue with them. No one can force us to dismiss these as mere referee errors. I am calling out to the MHK (Central Referee Board) and the TFF (Turkish Football Federation) again. They should work to ensure these issues do not recur. I do not think the matter will be solved by simply calling it a referee error. We will not hesitate in the slightest to seek our rights."

Perhaps for the first time in sports history, a president has declared, 'They won't let us be champions while I am president.' Moreover, this person has been president for 5 years. Who won't let you be champion? In Galatasaray, a person who makes such a statement could not remain president for even a second.

I want to address my community and our fans. As we all witness, there is a great struggle against Galatasaray, with all the values of football or sports being trampled upon. There is a tremendous effort to bring Galatasaray down in the competitions it enters. None of this affects us. Over the past 100 years, we have always shown this: when we become a single fist, no one has the ability to compete with us. I am addressing those who love us. The most important thing we need right now is the preservation of our unity and solidarity. Events are unfolding before our eyes. Dear Galatasaray fans, I want one thing from you. Our unity and solidarity must not be affected in the slightest by these perceptions.

Since we took office, the projects my colleagues and I have created are continuing. We will have good news very soon. I especially want to state that, contrary to the perceptions created in recent days, the Galatasaray Sports Club currently has no debt of even a penny to anyone, neither in amateur branches nor in professional teams. As I just stated, they are trying to create an impression as if there is chaos in Galatasaray through perception management efforts. If I have a duty as the President of Galatasaray, my duty is to solve this. Where we are, no one can attribute these to Galatasaray and no one can talk about them. The election is in May 2024. On our agenda is the championship in May 2024. On our agenda is finishing the projects. On our agenda is exiting the Banks Association agreement. The presidential race and how it will be chosen is the business of the general assembly. In this path, the duty of the management is to focus on projects and to present what we promised to the general assembly in May 2024.

"WE WILL BE CHAMPIONS AGAIN"

"We became champions under more difficult conditions last year. We will do the same again with our fans, managers, and players. We will become champions by uniting. Being together and uniting will be the greatest thing on the road to the championship. Every day they try to tear a piece off us. This is nothing but trying to turn us against each other. Galatasaray is always successful in the arena. We will stand tall against these perception and smear campaigns, and we will be champions again.

We stand behind all the promises we made at the general assembly. We will start delivering our Mecidiyeköy project in November. We will move our campus in Florya to Kemerburgaz as soon as possible. We intend to bring our players to this facility in a short time. No one should worry. Our work regarding Florya continues. We will share the good news with you as soon as possible. Those who try to wear down Galatasaray and those who try to cause harm in the championship race will be disappointed in May. What we need is to protect the climate of love within Galatasaray.

"NO ONE SHOULD TEST OUR PATIENCE"

We are in a sports competition, a race. We are not in a mutual argument. No one should try to test our patience. We have made comments regarding the mistakes made. It is not about moving football into an environment of fighting or a war of words. There are those who want to test our patience. In this regard, no one should test our patience.

It has been about 6 months since the federation was elected. We are making our warnings to the current federation. There is a Clubs Association meeting. One of the agenda items at this meeting could be this. The esteemed federation is not just Galatasaray's federation. There is a wide spectrum. As a result of that meeting, Galatasaray will also display its stance.

STATEMENT ON FOREIGN REFEREES

We wanted a local referee for the match in Saudi Arabia. Because if it is to be played with a foreign referee, it cannot be for just one match. It is a radical decision. The performance shown in one match cannot be a performance that will spread to the general of a 38-39 match league marathon. We did not want a change. We think our reaction was correct."

"The deficiency in Ali Koç's statement is this: who won't let you be champion? While you have been president, 4-5 federation presidents have changed. Do they all want this? I don't think it is anything other than creating a sense of victimhood with this expression, it needs to be a bit clearer."

RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION "DO YOU WANT THE TFF TO RESIGN?"

Dursun Özbek responded to the question from the press members, "Do you think the current federation should resign?" with these words:

"It has been about 6 months since the TFF was elected. We are making our warnings to the TFF. There is a Clubs Association meeting on Monday. One of the agenda items could be this. The esteemed Federation is not just Galatasaray's federation. There is the Super Lig, the 1st League, and lower leagues. As a result of the ideas formed at the meeting, Galatasaray will also display its stance there."

STATEMENT FROM ERDEN TİMUR ON SACHA BOEY

Following the question directed after Dursun Özbek, Erden Timur gave the following answer;

"It's like you're guilty if you talk and guilty if you don't. I have spoken 3 times representing our club regarding the referees. Two months ago, I went on screen and said what needed to be done. After that, an attempt was made to create a perception of 'where, where'. There is no resentment. I spoke 3 times last year as well. We will unite. We will do our best under the leadership of our president. If we need to communicate more, we will do so. We have two duties. To defend the rights of Galatasaray. There are people who are 15-16 years old. We shouldn't misguide them. The only goal here is that we will solve this together. It is very easy to criticize. Our only agenda for May is to be champions."

Sacha Boey has pain in his knee. There is training today, the team is off tomorrow. He is a player we shouldn't risk. There is no such thing as a sale. Manipulation is done at the slightest gap. Should we say 'There is no such offer'? Sometimes it is necessary to leave some things to the transfer period, and this also has its benefits.

RESPONSE TO THE ICARDI QUESTION

It is necessary to clarify this issue regarding Icardi as well. Resting him was on the agenda. If he is not rested for a certain period, this will always continue like this. He had to go to training with an injection. He also asked for permission from us for his wife's check-ups. After getting the injection, he needs not to train for a certain period. It is not wrong for coaches to be with selfless players, especially those with sensitive situations. Icardi was going to go out with a mask with the extra desire to play in the Super Cup.