Okan Buruk: We showed what a Turkish team can do

In the 2nd week of the UEFA Champions League, Galatasaray defeated the English side Liverpool 1-0 at RAMS Park, securing their first win of the season. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk said, "We experienced a very important night. I think we were good not only in terms of winning the match, but also in terms of our play and as a visual spectacle. The passion and desire our fans showed from before the match, and their support in defense and attack alongside the team, were important. I thank our fans for creating this atmosphere. We did very good work tactically. They are currently one of the most important teams in Europe, one of the teams with the best squads. They have a very good coach. We made an effort to score from the beginning to the end of the match. Finding an early goal was an advantage for us. We also found a chance for a second goal. I think we deserved to win with the struggle we put up throughout the match. It was a very important victory. I thank everyone, especially my players. We had a bad experience in the first match of the Champions League. By beating Liverpool, we took back the 3 points we lost there. We have a long road ahead, we will continue. It was a morale booster for us. It was also a morale booster for the country's football. We showed what a Turkish team can do. That is why I am truly very happy," he said.

Stating that the Liverpool and Tottenham matches were two different games, Buruk said, "The Tottenham match was a game where we dominated much more, entered many positions, and perhaps could have scored 7-8 goals. In this match, we gave very few chances to our opponent. Liverpool is a team that produces a lot, is very close to scoring, and scores many goals. It was important to finish the match without conceding a goal against them. It is very difficult to get a win in the Champions League. I am very happy that we experienced this victory against an English team, against a champion team," he said.

"We only got 1 win, our road is very long"

When reminded of the founding day of Galatasaray Sports Club, the yellow-reds' manager said, "Best wishes to the Galatasaray community, it was founded on October 1st. I have played in many matches in Europe for many years as a footballer, and I am playing matches as a coach. We have always built our game on winning. We won the UEFA Cup and the Super Cup. We are trying to represent Turkey in the best way possible. I think we are doing very valuable work. We only got 1 win. Our road is very long, there are 6 matches left. We need to prepare for the Bodo/Glimt match in the same way we prepared for the Liverpool match so that we can show the value of this victory in the upcoming matches as well. Galatasaray's goal this year is success in Europe. We have a good squad. We are getting used to each other. Every match is an experience. There was a squad coming from last year. It happens with matches where they get to know each other along with the new players. Today, we also had players playing in different positions. I think we did a very good job," he assessed.

"Today we took the field with a full squad for the first time"

When asked about the different performances in the matches they played, Okan Buruk replied, "The concentration of the league and the Champions League can be different. Osimhen did not play for a long time, he is important for us. His presence on the field changes everything. Icardi is back from injury, he is also just getting into form. We are looking at our new players. Today we took the field with a full squad for the first time. The differences between the matches are due to both adaptation and concentration; all of these cause poor play in some matches. We will make these player changes between all matches," he answered.

"I think we gave Liverpool the fewest chances they could have had"

Expressing that they started watching all the teams after the draw, Buruk said, "We started by watching Frankfurt. We watch a lot. We watch many matches in the Premier League. While watching those matches, the opponents have different games. Crystal Palace met us further back, sometimes they went for pressure. We thought about how we could do the best according to our own formation, we met them with a 4-4-2. I think these pressures were important in terms of game discipline. We won important balls in the forward pressures with Torreira, Lemina, and Davinson. Since I arrived, we have not played any match by retreating to our own half. We applied this today as well. We did the pressures in the right way. I think we gave Liverpool the fewest chances they could have had," he stated.

"Leroy is a very important player"

Regarding the German footballer Leroy Sane, who did not take part in the match, the yellow-reds' manager assessed, "Leroy is a very important player. Today, in our game plan, I thought of 3 midfielders, with İlkay a bit more forward next to Osimhen and also as the 3rd in midfield, so we played with two wingers. Yunus's possession of the ball and Barış's runs were important. I played with two wingers. In the continuation, since we were ahead, I brought in Roland and Eren, who have high defensive power. That's why I couldn't give time to Leroy. Leroy is very much in harmony with us. He is a very important and great player. In the story of the start and continuation of the match, we preferred players who would protect the 1-0 lead," he evaluated.

"One must accept these criticisms, I have no discomfort at all"

When reminded of the criticisms made, Okan Buruk said, "We lost very few matches in the Turkish League, and we have very few draws. We had bad results in Europe. Naturally, there were criticisms about these. One must accept these criticisms, I have no discomfort at all. I am not someone who takes these issues to heart too much. We have a very high winning percentage. Besides this, there will be results; as a coach, I took ownership of them. I think criticisms are annoying when they are below the belt. They attack the team, they talk. They act as if this is a team formed this year, not a team that has been at the head of this club for 3.5 years. How many people watched our training? There is an evaluation made among elite clubs last year; we are one of the teams that experienced the fewest injuries. There will be criticism. It would be more accurate to evaluate by researching. Football is watched because everyone can comment. There was a press conference about basketball last year, no questions were asked there. Basketball is perhaps not as well-known as football. We see that everyone is a coach, that's why football is beautiful. I love this too. I also make comments while watching another match. That is the beauty of football," he said.

Stating that İlkay Gündoğan's game quality is very important, Buruk said, "The best thing he does today is to start the team defense forward together with Osimhen. He cannot make pressures as intense as Mertens. Today, 2 people met 4 people. It was important to have possession of the ball in the game. He is also in the development stage. He also came to us without playing matches. He is going through a preparation period. He supports us both in terms of game intelligence and leadership within the team," he said.

"We clearly see Beşiktaş's development"

When asked about the Beşiktaş derby they will play at home in the 8th week of the Trendyol Super League, the yellow-reds' manager replied, "I thank Sergen Hoca. Best wishes to him as well. We clearly see Beşiktaş's development. We saw their game in the first 45 minutes. We are going to play an important match. We are going to a derby where we will experience the same concentration. I don't think we will have a lack of focus on the match. This morale prepares us for the next match in a stronger way. We haven't had any time off since the international break. I gave them the day off tomorrow. They were happier about the day off than the bonus. They will recover tomorrow, we will prepare for the next match in the strongest way possible. We will play against a very important team. I want to say that Beşiktaş is on the rise. We will also go to this match with the motivation of 8 out of 8," he answered.