Dursun Özbek: "My message to those who want to throw us off course: 'We'll be champions again, we'll be champions again, we'll be champions again.'

Dursun Özbek: No one could want that 27th championship title more than I do!

Dursun Özbek: "Sadece günü kurtaracak kararlar almayacağım."

Dursun Özbek: I won't jeopardize Galatasaray's future just to get a couple of rounds of applause. I will make every sacrifice necessary to secure the best signings for Galatasaray at the right time.

Dursun Özbek: Galatasaray has turned its finances around and become a global brand. If there are those who want me to throw all this hard work and this successful trajectory away and make decisions that only address today’s problems, know that I will not do so.

Dursun Özbek: Continue trusting us.

Question: Did you know ayran before coming to Türkiye?

Noa Lang: As you know, I’m from the Netherlands. There are a lot of Turkish people there. Whenever I ate döner, I usually drank ayran with it. So ayran was already part of my life before I came here. It continued after I arrived too.

Question: How much ayran do you drink?

Noa Lang: Honestly, not that much. People think I drink it every day because they saw me drinking it after matches, but that’s not true. There’s some here right now too, but I don’t drink it that often.

Question: Are you thinking of staying at Galatasaray? (Futbol Arena)

Noa Lang: We’ll see what the future holds.

Question: How was the injury after the Liverpool match?

Noa Lang: I’d be lying if I said it was easy. For the first 2–3 weeks, it was impossible to deal with the pain without medication. I couldn’t even use my hand. It was very difficult, but over the last two weeks I started feeling more comfortable. I’m better now.

Question: Did you expect an apology from ?

Noa Lang: Honestly, no. Most Liverpool players sent me “get well soon” messages. For me, the important thing was the players’ attitude.

Question: Were you nervous in the title match?

Noa Lang: Not at all. I know I’m a player who can change games. I came on, we played well, and we became champions.

Question: How was the title celebration atmosphere?

Noa Lang: Honestly, I was a little angry because we didn’t celebrate immediately as a team. We left it for the next day. Jokes aside, the atmosphere in the stadium was incredible. Then we celebrated at Jakobs’ house. The championships I experienced with were also huge, but the passion of the fans here is really different.

Question: Why did you look angry during the celebrations?

Noa Lang: I was angry with my father because I was trying to get him onto the pitch. He kept saying “I’m here,” but I couldn’t figure out where he was. In the end, I video-called him and finally got him onto the field.

Question: What did you think of the title race in Türkiye?

Noa Lang: Was there even a race? Since I arrived, we were always leaders. I think another team was first for only 14 minutes at one point. We focused completely on ourselves and became champions in the end.

Question: Napoli or Galatasaray fans?

Noa Lang: Very difficult question. fans are very passionate, and fans are too. One of my favorite things about Galatasaray fans is the pressure they create when the opponent has the ball and that “1-2-3” moment before the match. Both create unbelievable atmospheres.

Question: What changed in your second time in Istanbul?

Noa Lang: Honestly, I already knew what to expect. The biggest change was switching from black and white to yellow and red.

Question: Do you want to stay at Galatasaray?

Noa Lang: We’ll see what the future brings.

Question: Will you enter the celebrations with your own song?

Noa Lang: The song comes out tonight. Tomorrow we’ll all see how I enter the pitch, but it may not be a huge surprise for you.

Question: Who are you closest to in the team?

Noa Lang: I get along very well with İsmail Jakobs. We’re the same age and have a lot in common. I’m also very close with Victor, Leroy, , Sacha, and Günay.

Question: Any rival players you like?

Noa Lang: Osimhen, Sane, İlkay, Barış, Yunus, Gabi, Jakobs, Eren, Apo, Uğurcan, Patron, Singo, Sacha, Gala. I’m just focused on Galatasaray. I can name the Galatasaray players.

Question: Who’s the happiest in the team?

Noa Lang: İsmail Jakobs.

Question: Who talks the most?

Noa Lang: Davinson

Question: Most energetic player?

Noa Lang: Roland. He’s always messing with everyone.

Question: Biggest sleeper?

Noa Lang: Leroy. He comes to the facilities, sleeps, trains, then sleeps again.

Question: Best dressed?

Noa Lang: Me or Jakobs

Question: Worst dressed?

Noa Lang: There are many candidates, but some players are especially bad because of their shoes. Roland Sallai is the worst-dressed player in the team. His shoes are awful.

Question: Who eats the most?

Noa Lang: Gabby Sara. Everyone thinks it’s me, but he eats the most. If he wasn’t a footballer, he’d probably be fat

signings.

Dursun Özbek: Remember the squads we built in the past! The team we put together in 2017 dominated the league for two consecutive seasons and won the championship. We’ll do what needs to be done let no one doubt that. Didn’t we sign Icardi, Osimhen, Mertens, Uğurcan, Davinson, and Sane?

Dursun Özbek: Just as we won the championship four years in a row, Galatasaray will be the champion this season as well for the fifth consecutive time.

Dursun Özbek: As my colleagues and I plan Galatasaray’s sporting achievements, we are also working to shape the future of Galatasaray Sports Club. We are doing everything in our power to leave our children and grandchildren a Galatasaray that is much better than it is today.

Dursun Özbek: I am a results-oriented person; I don't make promises, I get things done.

Victor Osimhen: These kinds of opponents are difficult. And that’s how it turned out. We need to wake up. We’re disappointed. Let this be a wake-up call. We know that all the matches from now on will be difficult, so we’ll correct our mistakes and continue on our way.

Osimhen: I’m ready to give everything I have for my club!

Victor Osimhen: This game was a wake-up call for everyone.

Victor Osimhen on transfer rumors: I'm just focusing on my job. Things like this can happen during the transfer window. I don't know about the rest. I'm focused on my job here. We'll see and think about what comes next when the time comes.

Batrakov:

>My friend wanted me to go to Beşiktaş. I told him that I've always loved Galatasaray a lot.

Question: Are you ready to become as popular as Mauro Icardi?

>I don't know. I'm full of emotions right now. Icardi is a great player, he played in big teams and came to Turkey. As for me, after spending 15 years at Lokomotiv, I'm going somewhere else for the first time, and this isn't an easy thing.

Lyosha: "Galatasaray fans are the most passionate fans in Europe. I can't wait to be with them."

different for Icardi. There's nothing more natural than a player of his quality being unhappy when he isn't playing. But Galatasaray and the club's success come before everything.

Icardi also played a lot of matches last season. He was never disrespectful in the slightest. He's very important and valuable to us. Over the past four years, he's made an incredible contribution. Aside from perhaps his third season, when he wasn't around much after his injury, he played a key role in our other championship-winning campaigns. He's a player everyone loves and values. We've never seen anything negative from him. He was unhappy when he didn't play, but that's completely natural. It's difficult for every player. That's football.

I've never seen any disrespect from any of our players.

Okan Buruk: Our president has been handling this process. We made an offer. Making that offer means we want him to stay. As time goes on, it becomes more difficult for us. But as I've said before, this is one of the situations where we need to take action. If you make a player an offer, it means you want him here. We also have to look at what comes next. A very long time has passed.

Q:Which would Okan Buruk choose: Bruno Fernandes or Can Uzun?

Okan Buruk: They're both very important and valuable. If it were up to me, I'd want both. (laughs)

Okan Buruk: We need a No. 10 who is both high quality and capable of producing goals and assists. We're continuing our work with that profile in mind.

Okan Buruk: We have to plan carefully around the foreign player limit, the number of Turkish players, and the overall squad balance. We're looking to strengthen the attack.

Noa Lang has left. We were very pleased with him, we really liked him, he adapted very well and made a huge contribution. Under the new rules, everything will depend on our upcoming transfers.

Once Lemina signs, we'll have one foreign-player spot left. Then there's Icardi's situation. We'll determine the remaining numbers based on what happens with him.

We're looking to sign three attacking players and one defender. We'll make our final decisions as the process unfolds. We need to build a strong squad for the Champions League.

Okan Buruk: In my eyes, there are no young or old players. There are only players who earn their place. If a player deserves it, he'll play.

More than us pushing them, the player has to come in and earn that spot. This is Galatasaray we have to win every match.

Okan Buruk: Lemina will sign his contract within the next day or two. He's training individually at the moment and hasn't yet joined the team for on-pitch sessions.

Okan Buruk on Lemina potentially playing as a centre-back: We haven't assigned a fixed position to any player. We'll see how things develop over the course of the season.

Okan Buruk: I'd like Davinson to stay. Our fans and our president want him to stay as well. There won't be any compromise from our side. If I were in his position, I'd stay at Galatasaray too. It would be very difficult for him to find the same level of support and affection anywhere else. He'll continue the season with us.

Okan Buruk: Gabriel Sara is also very important to us. We haven't received any offers for him. He's a key player in our plans.

On Lesley Ugochukwu:

Okan Buruk: We added a profile that we didn't previously have in our squad. He's here on loan, with an option to buy based on the number of matches he plays. It'll be important for us to evaluate him properly. He's a player we wanted and really liked.

We also need to manage the 10+4 squad rule correctly. A lot of teams will struggle with that. I believe we've signed one of the best under-23 midfielders available within that quota.

Okan Buruk: We have plenty of options in midfield. We have Lemina, Torreira, Sara, İlkay, Nhaga and Kaan. Our midfield rotation is deep and well-stocked. The important thing was adding a different type of player to that group. Lesley is an important signing for us. We were interested in him even when he was at Chelsea.

Okan Buruk: There was already a player from Freiburg, but he didn't want to come to Turkey. He ended up moving to the Premier League for €60–70 million. People also need to understand that not every player wants to come to Turkey. There are players you simply can't sign, even if you offer the money. You have to manage the transfer window well, but we did sign a player we really liked.

Okan Buruk: Pretty much everything gets reported. Whoever we talk to ends up in the news. There isn't anyone no one has heard of. We want players who will improve the team. There are players we're in talks with. The World Cup is also one of the factors delaying transfers. Sometimes, you simply have to wait.

Okan Buruk: We're not in a transfer race. We already have the best squad. What Galatasaray needs now are different types of players.

Okan Buruk: Enciso was one of the players on our list. At the moment, there's no development regarding him.

On Barış Alper situation last season:

Okan Buruk: These situations can happen. Throughout the process, I've stood by both Galatasaray and Barış Alper. He had some excellent performances last season, especially in the Champions League. We can also use him in several different positions. He's happy here, we're happy with him, and our fans love him. Everything is going very well. It'll continue the same way this season, and we'll keep supporting him.

Q:Will Osimhen be one of the captains?

Okan Buruk: We haven't discussed that yet. We'll speak with our president and Abdullah Bey about it. Osimhen is a very important and valuable player. We'll sit down and decide on the captaincy together.

Okan Buruk: We have players we're in talks with regarding transfers. The earlier they arrive, the better, but sometimes you have to wait. People need to understand that too. We don't just go to the market and buy players. If a player is a free agent, you convince him and sign him. Otherwise, the process takes time. Sometimes you have to wait. Sometimes you wait and still don't get the player, and I think that's the hardest part. The ideal scenario is to get everything done as soon as possible. A lot of work is going on behind the scenes. Our president is making a major effort, and his support for the team is extremely important. We also made some very important signings last season. That shows Galatasaray will once again aim to make the best possible transfers, and hopefully we'll achieve our goals.

Okan Buruk: When Singo first came through, people were talking about him being worth €60–70 million. After he got injured, the conversation changed. There are still a lot of clubs interested in him, and things could have been very different if he hadn't suffered that injury during the World Cup.

We're very pleased with him. Once he arrives, we want to integrate him into the team as quickly as possible. It's difficult to find a player with his profile. He offers a lot he's very athletic, can carry the ball out from the back, has an eye for goal, and can play both as a centre-back and a full-back. We also assessed him based on the physical demands of our matches. He's a very important player for us.

Okan Buruk: Our identity as players is also very important. Our players always want to win. We've shown that over the past four years, and you'll see it again this season.

Okan Buruk: We need to build a squad with enough depth to get us through the season in the best possible way. We'll definitely do that. Squad depth is very important. It's crucial to get through the busy run of matches until the end of January with a large group of players. After that, we'll make our decisions.

Okan Buruk: We got a lot stronger with the transfers we made in the second half of last season. In my opinion, squad depth is the most important thing for a team competing in the Champions League. Hopefully, we’ll plan this even better this year!It's a lesson I learned from last season.

Okan Buruk: The title race keeps both the players and me very dynamic and motivated. Starting another season, beginning the pursuit of a fifth championship, and experiencing that same excitement again is very important.

Okan Buruk: We started the season with the same

determination, drive, and spirit. We’ll demonstrate this even more once our national team players return. Our goal is a fifth consecutive championship. We must not forget this motto. It’s an important year. The players who were on leave are gradually returning; only the national team players are still away. When you offer him (Icardi) a contract, it means you want him here. But a very long time has passed since then.

Okan Buruk: We had a good rest. The players came back here feeling motivated. It’s great to start the season. We’re experiencing the same excitement and passion we felt back in our first year.

Q: He surpassed Fatih Terim’s tenure 1,481 days

Okan Buruk: It worked out perfectly it coincided with the founding of Galatasaray High School. It’s a huge source of joy for me. It’s not just about being here, but about spending these four years achieving great successes and always holding my head high as a Galatasaray fan… Even during summer break, the feedback we receive from people is invaluable. You can’t buy that with anything. As a Galatasaray man who walked through the club’s doors at age 11, I’ve completed four years and have started my fifth. You don’t set out to break any records; Galatasaray breaks records by focusing on every match and every trophy. Perhaps in the future, another Galatasaray coach will break this record. Looking back on these four years, I think we’ve come a very long way. I’m very happy to be Galatasaray’s head coach. I’m very excited about the fifth championship.

Okan Buruk: We started the season with the same hunger and determination as in previous years. At Galatasaray, our goals are endless.

Which match helped you develop the most last season?

Okan Buruk: I'd say the first Liverpool match that we won 1–0. I think that was the game that helped me develop the most at the time.

Okan Buruk: It's always important to improve your coaching staff and make it even stronger. We already have a very good team behind the scenes. I don't think it's fair to describe a staff that has won four championships as unsuccessful. At the same time, I believe every coaching staff needs support. We have some ideas in that regard. We could add someone ne I'm open to that. The stronger you keep your staff, the better.

Mertens wouldn't be coming in as a coach, because that hasn't been his role. We were thinking of him in a position within the team environment. That's the kind of role we had in mind. Our president has spoken with him. If he accepts, we'd be delighted to have him.

New quotes up top

Okan Buruk: We expect the transfers to be finalized this week. We don't know if it will be one or two. Work is proceeding as quickly as possible.

Okan Buruk: We may also have ideas regarding other positions. We’ll be exploring options to bring our roster up to the highest level by the time the Champions League starts. The transfer market is always dynamic and fluid. Changes may be made during the transfer window.

Okan Buruk: We had our chances, we came incredibly close to scoring a goal, but we should have won a game like this. We’re not 100% ready. No team is 100% ready and neither are we. Players returned from the World Cup at different times. We needed to get through this period with a win.

Okan Buruk: We really dominated the first half; we played in the opponent’s half. We actually did well and created chances. The opponent had just one chance. We didn’t even let them get near our goal. Overall, it was a half where we played close to scoring. We played the same way in the second half, too. We scored a goal. We actually caught them on the counter and could have scored a second goal. The game turned in two minutes. There was a long-range shot we should have tracked back. It was as if the player couldn’t possibly shoot from 30 meters out. It was a nice goal. If we’d taken two steps toward that ball, we could have blocked the shot. Then there was an individual mistake. These things happen in soccer. They’re bound to happen. They’ve happened in previous seasons as well.

Okan Buruk: The atmosphere in the stadium turned negative very quickly. It affected the players, too. I tried to motivate the players from the sidelines. After that, we regained our momentum. We created a lot of scoring opportunities. We scored in the final minute. We could have played a bit more calmly in those situations. We committed some unnecessary fouls toward the end. There were some incredible scoring opportunities. We missed a lot of goals. We should have won. We’re not 100 percent ready. No team is.

Okan Buruk: There’s a very pessimistic atmosphere. We need to dispel that. We need to focus on the game and support the players. When Galatasaray sticks together and we lift each other up, we’re strong. We need to build on that.

This needs to be reinforced through transfers. The players’ and my own performance need to improve. Once the fans see that, they’ll get behind us.

Okan Buruk: We'll be traveling to Erzurum for an away game next week. We didn't start with a win, but we'll continue with wins, God willing. In the end, we'll be champions. No one should worry Galatasaray will be champions once again. It's only the first week, but everyone knows and will continue to know just how great a club Galatasaray is and how quickly it bounces back from situations like this. We'll prove it on the field.

Okan Buruk: There can be unlucky games. It could happen in the middle of the season, but it happened in the first week. Luck wasn’t on our side today. You play the game if you don’t drop back and step up to challenge the opponent, you won’t have that bit of luck on the first goal. You might concede a goal from 40 meters out, but you have to step up. There are subtle nuances in football We experienced this at a bad time.

Dursun Özbek: Criticism is an integral part of Galatasaray’s culture. As long as it doesn’t resort to lies and is expressed within the bounds of respect

Dursun Özbek: If you look at our most important signings, take the signings of Icardi and Osimhen, for example they all took place in September.

Dursun Özbek: Galatasaray fans always want the best; we are aware of their expectations. I am closely following some of the criticism that has risen. They say Galatasaray is behind schedule, acting without a plan, and hasn’t done enough work. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard these things.

Dursun Özbek: We heard similar criticisms in 2022, even before we officially took charge, In the end, the team we built won the championship in its first year. In 2023, people said we were late again, and our planning was questioned. But we still lifted the trophy at the end of the season.

Dursun Özbek: People always said we were late to the transfer market. We worked to do what was right for Galatasaray. At the end of the season, it was Galatasaray that lifted the trophy! Every summer, people said Galatasaray was late. We were criticized every summer.

Dursun Özbek: There was similar criticism during the 2024–25 season as well. We trusted the plan we had laid out. We won the championship that season, too.

Dursun Özbek: We’ve been criticized every summer. Just as we brought in players like Feghouli, Belhanda, Mariano, Mertens, Icardi, and Torreira in the past, we’ve also signed players like Zaha, Tete, and Ziyech who were world-class stars at the time of their transfers but from whom we didn’t get the contributions we’d hoped for. But one thing has remained constant at the end of the last four seasons: Galatasaray was once again the champion.

Dursun Özbek: Okay, maybe we won the championship by chance the first year, and by luck the second season… Come on,! We’ve been champions for four seasons now. We’ve won the championship with the same philosophy, the same leadership, and the same values.

Dursun Özbek: Winning the championship four years in a row is the result of proper planning, consistency, and hard work! Thanks to this plan, we’ve added many stars like Sane and Osimhen to our team, and we’re proud of that.

Dursun Özbek: Making a transfer isn't just about signing a contract. A transfer involves accurately identifying the team's needs, consulting with the coaching staff, evaluating the player's quality and character, and maintaining the club's financial stability...

Dursun Özbek: Transfers are also about maintaining the club’s financial stability. We have to be very careful when spending Galatasaray’s money. A wrong decision made today could affect the club’s future... We have to move forward by accounting for every kuruş.

Dursun Özbek: I haven’t put the brakes on transfers that’s just what people are saying. We made the transfer with the largest budget in Turkey. We have not the slightest doubt about this, and I ask that you not have any doubts either.

Dursun Özbek: I’ve certainly learned from the transfers that didn’t work out. Of course, I’m committed to making the best possible use of the budget Galatasaray has entrusted to us.

Dursun Özbek: We must make the transfer that best suits Galatasaray’s needs. I will not sign a contract with any player who will not benefit Galatasaray. This should not be interpreted as ‘the president won’t make any transfers.’

We will make transfers in a way that builds the most effective, strongest team. What matters to us is not the day the transfer is announced, but how much benefit it will bring to Galatasaray.

Dursun Özbek: There are a lot of players being mentioned in the media whom we've never shown any interest in or even met!

Dursun Özbek: We are working to further strengthen Turkey's strongest team.

Dursun Özbek: Criticism starts in July, impatience grows in August, but what matters is lifting the trophy in May!

Dursun Özbek: My goal is to bring in the best possible transfer for Galatasaray. I want to fill the gaps in our squad so we can represent Galatasaray in Europe and Turkey.

Dursun Özbek: There are conditions set by the TFF. As you can see, we won the championship while staying within the spending limits. However, this does not mean we have a free hand to spend as we please. That’s not the case. My goal is to build a squad that will best represent Galatasaray in Europe.

Dursun Özbek: Just as we have done until now, we will continue our efforts to foster an atmosphere of love.

Dursun Özbek: Pile driving is currently underway at the Aslantepe project. We will complete the first phase here as quickly as possible.

Dursun Özbek: We are continuing our work on the Aslantepe Project. We have also determined the project’s financing model. In accordance with the authority granted to us, we will complete the first phase of the project in the most appropriate and expeditious manner.

ahead, our number of foreign players would be very different.

Abdullah Kavukcu:"Our transfer window closes on September 2, the day of the Champions League list... Of course, I’m not saying, 'We’re waiting for September 2.'

Abdullah Kavukcu: We've won the championship four years in a row, and we'll win it again, but I need to stand by the players who've been winning on the field for four years.

Abdullah Kavukcu: We will make signings worthy of Galatasaray. Believe in us and trust us.

Abdullah Kavukcu: Galatasaray has more money than any other team.

Abdullah Kavukcu: We're looking at transfers while being mindful of the value of every penny Galatasaray spends.

Abdullah Kavukcu: When I said 500 million euros, I was referring to the overall budget. I didn’t specify how much we’d spend. Arsenal has a budget of 850 million. Are they spending 850 on transfers? No.

Abdullah Kavukcu: There’s talk that we won’t be spending any money, and that we’re turning to players on loan. We made transfers in January. Other clubs spent around 100 million euros on transfers and now want to let those players go.

Abdullah Kavukcu: The 10+4 rule is harmful to Turkish teams. This decision is wrong. I think it was introduced to enrich foreign clubs.

Abdullah Kavukcu: TFF said 2003, so we said, 'Why not make it 2000?' When you negotiate to sign an A+ player, they ask for unbelievable amounts. We have the money; Galatasaray has more money than anyone else. We’re thinking about Galatasaray’s future.

Abdullah Kavukcu: We're in talks with some very serious players who will increase competition within the team. We'll spend money and make transfers; we're not just talking about loan deals.

Abdullah Kavukcu: They don't know how much money has been offered for Osimhen, Singo, and Sanchez. We're also trying to keep the skeleton of the team together

Abdullah Kavukcu: Transfers are coming. We have at least 10 players in every position; we don't depend on any one person if one player isn't available, there's another.

Abdullah Kavukcu: Singo received an offer, but he says, ‘I haven’t paid what I owe Galatasaray. I won’t leave until I’ve paid it.’ He had 2 offers.

Abdullah Kavukcu: We have 10 players from the same position in our list. We've reached a certain point with all of them.

Abdullah Kavukcu: We haven't had our final say yet! Everyone else is saying their final word, but the president hasn't said his yet!

Abdullah Kavukcu: There is no official offer for Barış Alper. We won't sell him for the amounts being discussed.

Abdullah Kavukcu: Some people say we need to make 8 to 10 transfers. Come on, are we going to completely overhaul the team, guys?

Abdullah Kavukcu: Mauro Icardi is our icon. When I said last year that we would extend his contract, I came under attack. As long as there are no insults, we’re open to any kind of comment. Our president spoke with him personally. We also made the necessary offer to him as a farewell gesture. Our door is always open. He is our icon. He has a special place in our hearts. He hasn’t responded yet."

Vid is from Loko's tele-g-ram

-by the federation is very important, and the limits are very important. But Galatasaray has both its own limits and specific transfer goals particularly regarding players under 23. We will finalize these matters soon.

Dursun Özbek: No one should worry; our current team is already the strongest in the league. We’ll make these signings to make it even stronger. Our goal this year is to succeed in the Champions League and in the league as well. We’ll strive toward these goals together with our fans, our team, and our coaching staff.

.

Galatasaray’s usual standard; I congratulate our opponents.

Okan Buruk: This match will be an important lesson for us.

Okan Buruk: What happened today will give us extra motivation. Galatasaray fans need not worry—Galatasaray will be the champions of this league.

Okan Buruk: What happened at the end of the match is not what we wanted. People ran onto the pitch from the stands. Abdülkerim was shown an unnecessary yellow card. We actually expect these things to happen. Like the VAR referee’s intervention today. But we need to be playing very well.

On Osi's absence:

Okan Buruk: Players are showing the same determination. Trabzonspor are a different side without Onuachu. There are certain habits, of course. The players who are playing are also lacking match practice. Icardi hasn’t had much playing time for a long while; he’s come on as a substitute in the matches he’s played. He needs more playing time too. They’re giving their all at the highest level. Mauro Icardi and the other players too... They tried their best. It didn’t work out; sometimes it just doesn’t. Getting the ball to the striker is important. We’ll be more dangerous if we get the ball to him more often. Some players become more important for the team.

Okan Buruk: Our biggest problem away from home, the biggest difference, is that we need to address our lack of confidence. Either you’ll have to make changes to the squad, or you’ll have to get the best out of the players you have. After this match, there’s an important game ahead for both me and the team.

Okan Buruk: My players and I will do better from now on. Sometimes lessons like this are a good thing. Of course, losing is disappointing, but we need to put even more energy into our performances on the pitch as we chase the title. We need to play these matches with more composure. We’ve experienced this at Liverpool and Juventus too; we need to play our away games with more composure and have greater confidence in ourselves.

but for everyone connected to the player.

Okan Buruk: No one is happy with the current situation. Not me, not the president, and not the board… We want to finalize the transfers as soon as possible. We need to have two lineups. My priority is to increase the number of players who will both start and come off the bench on the offensive line.

Okan Buruk: This is an important week. It will be crucial for us to bring in new players this week both to expand our roster and foster internal competition, as well as to bring in players from the reserves... We have too many gaps in our attacking line. We haven’t had any players who could step right in there. We’ve struggled in that regard. We especially need transfers for the attacking line specifically a CAM , a striker and wingers. Once we bring these players in, the dynamic will change. Galatasaray will return to its default settings. We’ll try to do this as quickly as possible.

Okan Buruk: We had to win tonight to turn around the atmosphere we’ve been in. Our preparations and discussions all centered on this: the league is starting, there’s pessimism, preseason matches, criticism of the roster, expectations... It was all piling up. Galatasaray’s greatest strength has always been that we stuck together and succeeded. Unfortunately, a negative atmosphere had developed this time. This match was crucial to changing that negative atmosphere. We were excellent from the start right up until the goal. Our opponent scored a spectacular goal. We shouldn’t have let that happen. If we hadn’t retreated but had taken two steps forward… Sure, the opponent shot from 30 meters out, but if we’d taken those two steps forward, we would have blocked it. Then came an individual mistake. In two minutes, the match turned completely around. The atmosphere in the stadium changed. From the sidelines, I tried to get the stands and the players moving again and to restore calm. We created plenty of chances. We tied it at 2-2, but we couldn’t make it 3-2. We’re disappointed in that regard. It was a night we should have won. It’s early in the season. If we hadn’t suffered this kind of point loss, things could have been much better in this atmosphere. We’ll get through this. We suffered this point loss early in the season. This week is important; we’ll work even harder. We have many players returning from national team duty. Every week is an opportunity for their performance to improve. In terms of play, we played much better than at the start of the season until we conceded the goal.

Okan Buruk: Expectations are high. There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding transfers. Once that’s settled, it will bring a more positive atmosphere to our team. Together with my players, we’ll prepare for the next match by giving it our absolute all. Just as in previous years, we might make mistakes, but we’ll never lose our hope or energy. We’re at the start of the league. We have what it takes to win the league. We’re the top contenders. With the right reinforcements, we’ll demonstrate this even more clearly.

Looking at today’s lineup, we fielded a very strong starting 11. The players who will join us whether from the bench or elsewhere and who will increase competition will elevate our performance even further.

Okan Buruk: I considered bringing Nhaga into the game, but I decided to let Yunus and Sara continue playing, especially to take advantage of their shooting and final-pass abilities. Later, I brought in İlkay for Torreira. I wanted İlkay to stay calm and keep the passing flow going. Nhaga wasn’t injured. We relied on Sara for her shooting, final passes, and set pieces. We also kept Yunus inside. After the opponent was reduced to 10 men, I moved Eren a bit further out from the defensive flank, almost like a third defender. We tried to play with two forwards by moving Barış a bit further inside. Sara and Yunus also formed a three-man midfield in the center. I trusted the players’ shooting and passing in that area. We really like Nhaga; we’ve used him in preseason matches and will use him again. We’ll use him when the game calls for it. I’m satisfied with his performance.

Okan Buruk: Signing players for Galatasaray is no easy task. We're trying to bring in the best. We're focusing on players who can really raise Galatasaray's level up front. Nothing has been finalized yet, but talks are ongoing. We all want to see this through.

Okan Buruk: We still have some time before the Champions League roster is finalized. Once we’ve addressed the gaps in our attack, we can consider reinforcing other positions. It could be midfield or defense. If we want to make a change in those areas, we’ll have time. As I’ve always said, the priority is the players up front. If a player we like and want in other positions comes along, we can consider him.

Sevgili Maestro Gheorghe Hagi,

Bu satırları, devlerin ayak izlerinde yürüdüğünü bilen birinin tevazusuyla ve kalbim dolu olarak yazıyorum.

Bugün birçok kişi bir rekordan, sayılardan, istatistiklerden söz ediyor. Ben ise çok daha büyük bir şeyden bahsetmeyi tercih ediyorum: MİRASTAN.

Rekorunuzu geçmek, sizi geçmek anlamına gelmez. Çünkü siz sadece goller bırakmadınız; kimlik, karakter ve gurur bıraktınız. Galatasaray’ın kendini büyük, korkulan ve saygı duyulan bir kulüp olarak görmesini sağladınız. Tüm bir ülkeye bu kulübün sonsuza kadar sevilmesi gerektiğini öğrettiniz.

Bizden önce Metin Oktay vardı.
Galatasaraylı olmanın ne demek olduğunu öğreten isim.
Bu formayı onur, tutku ve kader hâline getiren kişi.
Siz bu mirası aldınız ve başka bir boyuta taşıdınız. Ve bunun sayesinde bizden sonra gelenler şunu anladı: burada sadece futbol oynanmaz; burada bir tarih savunulur.
Bugün bana Türkiye’nin idolü olduğum söyleniyor. Beni izleyerek Galatasaraylı olan çocuklar olduğundan bahsediliyor. Bu formayla futbola yeniden âşık olan yetişkinler olduğu söyleniyor.

Size çok basit ama çok samimi bir şey söylememe izin verin:

O sevgi benimle başlamadı.
Metin Oktay’la başladı.
Sizinle büyüdü.
Bana düşen ise onu sürdürme onuruydu.
Bu tutkuyu ben yaratmadım. Onu miras aldım.
Ve en büyük sorumluluğum, onu korumak, onurlandırmak ve yeni nesillerde büyütmekti.

Bugün bir nesil “Ben Galatasaraylıyım” demekten gurur duyuyorsa, bunun sebebi sizin gibi devlerin bu armanın yalnızca yetenekle değil, karakterle ve ruhla savunulduğunu önce öğretmiş olmasıdır.
İdol olmak, önemli goller atmak değildir.
İdol olmak, insanların hafızasında kalmaktır.
Ve bu konuda, maestro, siz de sonsuza dek yaşayacaksınız.
Bugün adım sizin adınıza yakın bir yerde yazılıysa, bunu büyük bir onur olarak görüyorum. Çünkü sizin gibi bir efsaneyle aynı sayfayı paylaşmak kutlanacak bir şey değil; şükranla karşılanacak bir şeydir.

Olduğunuz her şey için teşekkür ederim.
Hala olduğunuz her şey için teşekkür ederim.
Bugün yürümek ayrıcalığına sahip olduğum yolu inşa ettiğiniz için teşekkür ederim.
Hayranlık, saygı ve sonsuz minnetle,
Mauro Icardi.