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Galatasaray

Galatasaray Aims to Beat Barcelona Despite Underdog Status

Turkey Brief
Turkey Brief
Galatasaray Aims to Beat Barcelona Despite Underdog Status

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Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk said his team will chase victory when they face Barcelona in the second week of the UEFA Champions League at RAMS Park. Speaking at a press conference at the Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities ahead of the match, Buruk acknowledged that the Spanish side will be seen as favorites but insisted his players believe they can cause an upset at home.

Buruk noted that Barcelona have won all nine of their competitive matches this season and described them as one of the most in-form teams in the world. He stressed that Galatasaray must defend and attack with minimal errors, press aggressively to win the ball back and stay composed in possession. He also pointed to the club's strong goalkeeper and the boost of playing in front of their own supporters.

The coach reported that only Singo is unavailable through injury, with Günay returning to training this week but not ready for the game. He praised young Russian midfielder Aleksey Batrakov for adapting quickly and praised Baris Alper Yilmaz's versatility at full-back. Buruk, who played in Galatasaray's 2-1 win over Barcelona in 1994, said he hopes to experience a similar victory as a coach and called Ilkay Gundogan's frustration at limited playing time a normal human reaction.

Key Takeaways

  • Galatasaray host Barcelona at RAMS Park in the Champions League, targeting a win despite being underdogs
  • Buruk: Barcelona have won all nine matches this season and are among the world's most in-form teams
  • Only Singo is out injured; Batrakov praised and Ilkay Gundogan's reaction described as understandable
Turkey Brief
Turkey Brief

Editor at Turkey Brief.

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