Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk evaluated the turning points of the match after his team's 4-1 defeat to Barcelona in the second week of the UEFA Champions League.
Buruk stated that they managed to implement their planned game on the pitch at times during the first half, reminding that Galatasaray found a goal and had another one disallowed. The experienced manager said that the team dropping back in the final part of the first half created a scenario they did not want.
Emphasizing that every moment Barcelona approached the goal carried risk, Buruk described the goal they conceded as a "lucky goal." Stating that he told the team at halftime that they needed to play further up the pitch, Buruk expressed that the goals conceded at the beginning of the second half changed the course of the match.
We did what we wanted until a certain minute in the first half, we found the goal. We also found a second goal, but it was disallowed. We dropped back too much towards the end of the first half, something I never wanted; against Barcelona... It became 3-1 very early. The match changed in an instant. As the score increased, morale dropped.
Drawing attention to Barcelona's quality level, Buruk said the opponent is composed of in-form and experienced players. The yellow-red manager emphasized that it is not easy to press high against such a team.
It was difficult to press high against such a team. We tried from time to time. The substitutions did not bring results either. Their incoming players were also very effective. If it had been 2-0, it might have been a match where we could have risen, but the early goals in the second half broke us.
Buruk stated that the team did the right things in some parts and experienced errors in others, adding, "There is not much to say to the players."
News Source: 12punto
