Galatasaray Coach Okan Buruk Reacts as Victor Osimhen’s Side Loses to Monza in Pre-season
- Galatasaray lost 2-0 to Italian club AC Monza in their second pre-season friendly match held in Austria
- Victor Osimhen was introduced in the 62nd minute with the scoreline already against his side
- Coach Okan Buruk addressed the defeat and revealed the club's focus during the pre-season period
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has spoken out after his side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Italian club AC Monza in a pre-season friendly played in Austria, the first of their pre-season campaign.
Victor Osimhen was on the bench for the opening hour of the game and was introduced when the Turkish champions were already trailing by two goals.
Source: Instagram
Turkish outlet GZT reported that the decision to rest Osimhen was purely tactical and was not connected to any injury or speculation surrounding his future at the club.
Okan Buruk reacts to Galatasaray loss
Speaking to GS TV after the final whistle, Buruk was candid about how he processes pre-season results, though he admitted being disappointed at losing.
“These matches aren't directly focused on winning for us; they're games where we're happy when we win and disappointed when we lose,” he said.
The coach made clear, however, that results are secondary to player development at this stage of the summer.
“Our main goal is to improve the players’ fitness and physical condition. We’re also gradually increasing their match time during this period. We’ll play another match in three days,” he added.
Galatasaray's next pre-season fixture is against Venezia, and Osimhen could come up against his Super Eagles strike partner Akor Adams, who recently signed for the Italian club.
Why Osimhen chose Galatasaray as captain
Legit.ng previously reported that Galatasaray chose Victor Osimhen as the club’s new captain after the departure of Argentine forward Mauro Icardi.
The decision reflects Osimhen’s impact since he joined the club and the trust the club has in his leadership skills, which are evident on the pitch.
Source: Legit.ng
