Fenerbahçe Coach Ismail Kartal’s Press Conference Before Union Saint-Gilloise Match

Fenerbahçe’s head coach, Ismail Kartal, emphasized that they have thoroughly studied their upcoming opponent, Union Saint-Gilloise, in the Conference League match. The coach of the Yellow and Navy team also discussed the injuries within the squad.

Ismail Kartal, the coach of Fenerbahçe, who will play against Union Saint-Gilloise in the away leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 tomorrow, expressed their desire to finish both the Super League and this competition as champions.

“WE ANALYZED OUR OPPONENT WELL”

Speaking at the press conference held at the RSC Anderlecht Stadium, where the match will take place, Kartal stated that they have analyzed their opponents well. Kartal conveyed that they have provided a detailed briefing to their players about Union Saint-Gilloise, describing them as a team that competes well, runs a lot, and plays organized football. He emphasized Fenerbahçe’s strength and the quality of their players, expressing the team’s goal to go as far as possible in the tournament.

Kartal aimed to field the best lineup tomorrow, despite playing a match every three days. He mentioned Batshuayi as an emotional yet talented player, and he emphasized the importance of balancing between domestic and European matches. Kartal acknowledged the challenges of frequent matches but emphasized the team’s ongoing championship race.

“WE HAVE INJURED PLAYERS”

Highlighting the importance of the competition, Kartal concluded his statements by mentioning Liverpool as an example of a team facing challenges due to injuries and expressing the team’s determination to continue their championship pursuit.

Regarding injuries, Kartal mentioned that the treatment of Becao, İrfan Can, and King is ongoing, and they have left them in Istanbul. Players not listed in the European squad are also training together in Istanbul.

Here are Ismail Kartal’s statements from the press conference:

“I cannot evaluate the match without playing it, so we need to talk about the opponent. We have studied the opponent thoroughly. Based on our analysis, we have seen that they are a very good team, organized both defensively and offensively. We watched and conveyed all this information to our players. We are a strong team, and we have a goal. We want to return to Istanbul with the best result through good gameplay.”

When asked about his preference between winning the Conference League or the Super League, Ismail Kartal replied, “I want both.”

“I will evaluate our squad and put the best 11 on the field to showcase the desired style of play. We play a match every three days, but tomorrow’s match is the most important for us. I will field the players who can achieve the best result. I believe I have worked well in this regard. Batshuayi is a very emotional child and a very good player. I know very well when and in which match to play him. Both the league and European matches are crucial for us. I will have a meeting with my team and make the final decision. We came here with our full squad, except for the injured players. We want to go as far as possible in the cup, and we take this tournament seriously.”

As for the team’s injuries, Kartal mentioned that the treatments for Becao, İrfan Can, and King are ongoing, and they left them in Istanbul. Players not on the European list are also training together in Istanbul.