In the second matchday of the Champions League group stage, Galatasaray will host FC Barcelona. Ahead of the match, head coach Okan Buruk attended a press conference to discuss the opponent's strengths, team preparations, and Ilkay Gündogan's disappointment at not being used, among other topics. This article covers the second half of the press conference.

First half of the press conference

Buruk: Everyone loves FC Barcelona, but we will do our best to try to win

I have a question about Alexei Batrakov. How is he adapting to the team and the league? Is he ready to play in the match against FC Barcelona? Do you think he's ready now? I'm not sure if you know, but his childhood dream was to play for FC Barcelona one day. Do you think that will help him perform well tomorrow?

First of all, Alexei is a very young player and this is his first time playing abroad. Since he arrived here, his teammates, led by Lucas, have helped him a lot, and everyone is trying to help him adapt.

Of course, he is an excellent player. We signed him precisely because he stood out. He is also a national team player and has participated in three national team matches recently. Beyond that, he is an excellent professional and a good person. He works hard to develop himself, is willing to progress, and is willing to commit. So for me, working with a player like this is important and valuable.

It's really important for me to work with players who are dedicated to their development and actively contribute to the team. So we all like him and admire his abilities, and we are committed to helping him continue to develop.

He already has strong attacking talent, but since he arrived here, his overall defensive work for the team has also improved significantly. He adapted to the team's style of play quickly. I believe that, together with his teammates, he can defend very well overall. We are very satisfied with his performance. As for tomorrow's match, we will have our final training session today to confirm the squad. Tomorrow, everyone will have a clearer picture of how we will set up.

In the match against Kasimpasa, you selected Barış Yılmaz to play as a right back, and his goal and performance have been widely praised. Tomorrow is a very important match, but rather than asking about your starting XI, I'd like you to explain the tactical perspective from a coaching standpoint. What positive changes has Barış playing right back brought to the team and to him personally?

Actually, this isn't the first time Barış has played in this position. As everyone knows well, two seasons ago, he played multiple matches as a right back and left back. During the period when we lacked left backs the most, he also played an important role for the team as a left back.

Looking back at his development that season, Barış was already an important player for the team before that. However, the transition from full back to a more advanced position played a crucial role in his development that season. So Barış is familiar with this position and has played there before.

Of course, in some matches, you play more in the opponent's half. For example, in the match against Kasimpasa, we had Barış play higher up the pitch. When Akbaba moved inward, Barış pushed forward as well. Sometimes he played both right wing and right back.

Of course, tomorrow's match will be different. However, his goal, excellent performance, successful interceptions, and the help he provided the team during the transition from attack to defense all demonstrate his ability to play in this style and fulfill this role.

On November 23, 1994, Galatasaray achieved a historic victory by defeating FC Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League group stage for the first time. At that time, you participated in that match wearing the Galatasaray shirt. Tomorrow will bring you another kind of excitement, as you will face FC Barcelona as a head coach. From this perspective, how do you view this match?

Of course, back then, defeating FC Barcelona was much harder. In 1994 we won, and I played in that match as a player. We faced FC Barcelona multiple times over the seasons, drawing at home and playing away. This season, we are meeting FC Barcelona again. As a head coach, my feelings are naturally different. But I've said throughout that I have great confidence in my players. I believe that we, with our players, can perform well in a match like this.

Tomorrow, with our players and with the support of our fans, we will give our full effort. We hope to win the match again. Of course, we've said all along that this is not an easy match, but rather a difficult one. The opposition is a very strong team, but we will give everything.

Coach, do you think defeating FC Barcelona would help improve Galatasaray's image in Europe and worldwide? Also, after the match against Kasimpasa, Gündogan said something and the camera caught him saying "How can I be ready if I don't play?" What was your reaction when you saw that?

First of all, FC Barcelona hasn't lost this season, not even a draw. If we can produce a good performance against a team like this, it will make us very happy and give us momentum. Of course, we have objectives in the Champions League, and there are many more matches to play after this. It's not over after this match. Next, we will have many important competitions. So getting points is very important.

We faced a similar situation here last season before facing Liverpool. You have to face a very good team, and the favorites would be Liverpool or FC Barcelona, but you still try to perform as well as possible. Fight for points here, aim for a good result, and try to beat the opposition.

As for the other matter, I was also a player once, and we've all experienced situations like this. He was frustrated at that moment. These players are not robots. They are human beings. He didn't play, and even though he was warming up on the sideline, he still wasn't brought on. Despite age, experience, and professionalism, encountering a situation like this can make you sad, and sometimes that emotion shows. So we shouldn't read too much into stories like this. Ilkay gives his full commitment in training always and is always ready to play.

Of course, last week we played a very different match. We had fewer players available. There were some adjustments, and there were also attacking substitutions. Considering the number of backup players, there will be many players who don't always get the chance to play. So we all should understand that these players have excellent character. They are good people and love their team very much. Besides that, I don't see anything else from these players.

So his reaction shouldn't be misinterpreted. Of course, it is natural disappointment, and disappointment like this can happen anytime. It can also happen when someone asks you a sudden question. So we shouldn't make too much of this. Ilkay is working hard to give his best performance for the team, and I am very satisfied with him.

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