Galatasaray Coach Reacts After Losing to Trabzonspor in Victor Osimhen’s Absence
- Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has spoken after his side lost 2-1 to Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super League
- It was the first match after the international break and their first without striker Victor Osimhen, who is injured
- Osimhen's compatriots, Paul Onuachu and Chibuike Nwaiwu, scored the goals that gave Trabzonspor the win
Galatasaray's head coach has shared his thoughts after his team lost to Trabzonspor in their first match in Victor Osimhen’s absence due to an arm injury.
Osimhen got injured after clashing with Ibrahima Konate during Galatasaray's 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Source: Getty Images
The striker underwent a successful surgery and is expected to be out until the end of April for the Istanbul derby against their fiercest rival, Fenerbahce.
The Turkish champions lined up against Trabzonspor without Osimhen and lost 2-1 away at the Akyazi Stadium in Trabzon, Turkiye.
Osimhen’s compatriots Paul Onuachu and Chibuike Nwaiwu scored Trabzonspor’s goals. Nwaiwu’s goal was assisted by another Nigerian, Anthony Nwakaeme, while Wilfred Singo scored Galatasaray's goal, as noted by TRT Spor.
Okan Buruk reacts to Galatasaray's loss
Head coach Okan Buruk shared his thoughts following the match after Trabzonspor closed the gap at the top of the table to one point with their win.
Buruk admitted that his team did not start the game well and explained that the poor positioning of some players affected the general pattern of play.
“We didn't start the match well. We can say that we didn't play well for much of the first half and fell behind 1-0. Especially when we had possession, our midfielders sometimes dropped back too far, making it difficult for us to build up play,” he told Galatasaray.com.
“If we had positioned ourselves a little better to break our opponent's pressure, we would have had a chance to break that pressure in the first half as well.”
Galatasaray missed Victor Osimhen
Buruk admitted that Galatasaray missed Osimhen’s absence as his replacement, Mauro Icardi, was ineffective despite completing the full 90 minutes.
“Of course, the absence of some players can affect the game. This is seen in many teams. Even though the players try to show the same concentration and desire, the absence of some players can change the flow of the game,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
“The absence of players who play regularly can be felt. For example, Mauro Icardi hasn't had regular playing time for a long time; this can affect the rhythm.”
However, Buruk was gracious enough to congratulate the opponent for a deserved victory.
“In conclusion, Trabzonspor won today; I congratulate them. They played well and fought hard. We, on the other hand, need to improve our performance,” he concluded.
Galatasaray president applauds Osimhen's commitment
Legit.ng previously reported that Galatasaray President Dursun Ozbek applauded Victor Osimhen for his commitment after his surgery in Istanbul.
Osimhen reportedly opted to remain in the hospital for his post-surgery recuperation instead of going home immediately after the operation.
Source: Legit.ng
