Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk: 'We will be champions'

Galatasaray played a 1-1 draw with Kocaelispor in the 29th week of the Trendyol Super League and coach Okan Buruk made statements after the match.

"IT WAS A DIFFERENT GAME AFTER THE GOAL"

Stating that the game changed a lot after the goal, Okan Buruk said, "We had the ball a lot in the first half and in certain minutes of the second half. In the second half, we didn't give up a position until the goal. I don't remember. That part is very important for 5 minutes when our defense line retreated a little more, our opponent came on top of us and especially the second goal. We were in a clear position, if we had scored, we could have broken the game. Our opponent was suddenly emboldened. Our players went to the back. We wanted to intervene with two substitutions, and then we conceded a goal. After conceding the goal, it was a very different game. This is what upsets me the most."

Stating that they committed unnecessary fouls, Okan Buruk continued as follows

"We panicked a lot after conceding the goal. We could have produced more, we could have stayed calmer, we committed unnecessary fouls. With every foul, the opponent lies down, the game stops, slows down. This is what they want anyway. The opponent's long balls, second balls. We gave away one clear position and that's where we played the game wrong and badly."

"WE WILL BE CHAMPIONS"

Stating that they still had the advantage, Okan Buruk said, "We were at home. We should have won. We had a chance to maintain the point difference. We didn't win, we still have the advantage. We are the one in front, we are the first. We have experienced similar things in previous years. We will be the champions again."

Stating that they lost an important advantage, Okan Buruk continued with the following words:

"We will be down to one game from now on. Playing three games in a row this week made us tired. The most critical place was that we had 2-3 half players. Yunus, Lang, Sara played with injuries. We don't have 100 percent of such players on the offensive line. The game with Osimhen is also valuable and important. It was difficult not to have Osimhen. From now on it's just one game a week, only the cup. Weeks are starting to show how good Galatasaray is in the championship race. We lost an important advantage, this is where we are all frustrated. We will use this advantage, our lead. Win 5 games and we will be champions again."

"WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS FOR 3 YEARS"

Finally, Okan Buruk stated that they have been experiencing such things for the last 3 years and concluded his sentences with the following words

"Baris' performance in Göztepe was important when we started this match. That's why he started as a center forward. In the 15 minutes we wanted to use Icardi, that was the part where the game fell apart. The game with the original center forward is different. There are deficiencies on the wings. Having Osimhen, the game with the center back, the game with Icardi, the players next to him are fit... We have a week ahead of us, we'll make the most of it. We have a chance to rest, breathe and concentrate again. We are 2 points ahead. We will maintain this advantage by increasing the difference. I believe in my players and our fans very much, they believed in us a lot. We walked this path with them, we became champions. We went through this in the last 3 years. There were times when we lost the advantages. This is football. You cannot always do what you want. A different period is starting. We will make the best use of this period."