Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has explained why he decided to substitute Victor Osimhen in the closing stages of Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar.
The Turkish champions managed a 2-2 draw at RAMS Park but were eliminated from the competition with a 6-3 aggregate loss.
Osimhen had given Galatasaray hope when he found the net in the 56th minute, marking his sixth goal in the competition this season. However, the Nigerian striker was withdrawn for Berat Lus with just 10 minutes remaining.
Buruk clarified his decision, citing squad depth and injury concerns. “Since our other forward, Morata, was injured, we took Osimhen off in the last 10 minutes,” he told the club’s official website. “It wasn’t the night we wanted. We had higher expectations.”
The Galatasaray boss reflected on his team’s overall performance, admitting they fell short of their usual standards. “If we had scored the first goal, we could have gained more momentum. Some players performed well individually, but as a team, we were below average.”
Despite the disappointment, Buruk remains optimistic about the squad’s strength moving forward. “Looking at our bench, we had five or six key players waiting.
Having that depth is an advantage for us. The next match is at home, we have four days to recover, and we don’t have to travel. We’ll use that time to rest and prepare.”
With their Europa League journey over, Galatasaray will now shift focus to domestic competition as they aim to defend their Super Lig title.