Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek responds to Hacıosmanoğlu allegations: Takes a jab at Fenerbahçe

Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek spoke at the club's February Ordinary Board of Trustees meeting. Emphasizing that the football team maintains its lead and continues its success in Europe, Özbek called on fans to support the team in their upcoming match against Juventus.

“Our football team is the leader in the Süper Lig and continues its journey in the Champions League. We will play against Juventus, and we have achieved historic victories against them. I believe next Tuesday night will be another such match. I invite our fans to support the team in the Eyüpspor and Juventus matches.”

Providing detailed information about the club's projects, Özbek announced that renovation work at the Aslantepe stadium will begin with a groundbreaking ceremony in April and that the necessary permits are about to be obtained. Stating that the youth academy facility project in Kemerburgaz is ongoing, Özbek noted that the delivery of the residence project in Mecidiyeköy will take place in May. Furthermore, noting that the second phase of work in Riva has begun and sales are going well, Özbek emphasized that new investments for security and renovation at the stadium are also on the agenda.

The Galatasaray President also touched upon agenda items that closely concern the community and drew attention to external criticisms. He stated that negative rhetoric directed at the club is being carried out in an organized manner and that the media and representatives from various sectors are influential in spreading these claims. “We continue to carry out projects that will put Galatasaray miles ahead of its rivals. Efforts to undermine Galatasaray from the outside are continuing extremely rapidly and intensely. In all sectors, whoever comes to your mind... The commentator, the journalist, the singer, the model... Yes, the model... The rhetoric is the same in an organized way... It is as if someone has pressed a button,” he said.

SHARP RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS OF MEETING WITH TFF PRESIDENT

Speaking for the first time about the claims that have appeared in the press in recent days regarding words allegedly exchanged between him and TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, Özbek responded by stating that such claims are baseless and unfounded, and addressed those making these comments targeting the community: “There are things that defy logic. I supposedly told the TFF President somewhere, ‘Don't you dare get into these polemics.’ The Galatasaray President supposedly went to the TFF President and said, ‘We are in a lot of trouble, we cannot become champions. We must become champions this year!’ Look, look, look. The people who say this neither know the Galatasaray community nor the Galatasaray president. The people who say this are completely ignorant. We have had years where we were not champions. Such things do not cross Galatasaray's mind. I think the people who say this are confusing the presidents. We are not affected by these in the slightest,” he said.

The meeting also emphasized that criticisms directed at Galatasaray from different sectors are conscious and simultaneous. Özbek stated that the club will continue on its path without deviating from its projects and sporting success goals.