19.02.2025 15:01
TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu responded to Dursun Özbek, who declined the invitation to hold a meeting in Riva before the derby. Hacıosmanoğlu stated, "They responded positively for Wednesday. Our friends got back to Galatasaray and accepted the meeting for Wednesday. Following that, we shared it with the public. We leave it to the public to determine who is insincere."
The President of the Turkish Football Federation, İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, announced at a press conference that a foreign referee will officiate the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby, which will be played in the 25th week of the Trendyol Super League. Hacıosmanoğlu responded to the invitation rejected by the president of the yellow-red team, Dursun Özbek. These words have caused a new crisis between Galatasaray and the TFF.
ÖZBEK: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR 8 MONTHS! NOT SINCERE
The Turkish Football Federation had invited the presidents of both teams to a meeting today in Riva before the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby. Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek stated that he would not attend this meeting. Özbek said at yesterday's Divan Kurulu meeting, "Yesterday, a letter signed by the TFF President reached our club. The letter essentially states; the TFF president is organizing a consultation meeting, and it is mentioned in the letter that Ali Koç and I will also attend. The letter briefly refers to the brand value of Turkish football and emphasizes how important this derby is, stating that the country and the football family need peace, and I am asked to attend the meeting. Esteemed audience, one must ask this; now, did the values you mentioned above come to mind? You have been in office for 8 months, where have you been, are you not aware of the point Turkish football has reached? I shared the content of the letter with my friends. Despite the seemingly good-natured expressions in the letter, I expressed my concerns to my friends. I approached the statements made with skepticism. Indeed, an hour before yesterday's match, the TFF announced this meeting. They announced it without even receiving a response from us, whether we are attending or not. I realized how right I was in my concerns. Their real aim was different. I leave it to your discretion to understand the reason for this call being made without waiting for our club's response and just an hour before our important match. I do not think they are sincere at all. If their aim is a PR effort, I will not be a part of it," he stated.
HACIOSMANOĞLU: WE LEAVE IT TO THE PUBLIC TO DECIDE WHO IS INSINCERE
The President of the Turkish Football Federation, İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, responded to Dursun Özbek's statements today. Hacıosmanoğlu, regarding Galatasaray's absence from the invitations, said, "I want to explain the background of today's meeting to the public. We informed Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe before the invitation. We informed them beforehand; we initially planned to organize the meeting on Tuesday. Fenerbahçe said 'okay', and the Galatasaray secretary asked whether 'our divan meeting is on Tuesday, and whether it will be on Wednesday.' We asked the Fenerbahçe side about Wednesday, and they responded positively. Our friends got back to Galatasaray and received a positive response for Wednesday and accepted the meeting. We then shared this with the public. We leave it to the public to decide who is insincere," he said.
"HE CALLED ME AFTER THE DIVAN MEETING"
Hacıosmanoğlu, in response to the question, "Did you want to talk after Dursun Özbek's statement at the Divan Kurulu?" said, "He called me after the Divan meeting. Am I going to tell you our private conversations here? It is a conversation between us. We respect the Galatasaray community and all communities. Dursun President is someone I have known for 10 years, with whom I served as president in the same period," he stated.
"WE ARE THE AUTHORITY OF FOOTBALL"
In response to the question, "Will you respond to Galatasaray Club?" İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu said, "We are the authority of football. We are not responding. We had called both clubs to the federation to consult and provide this information."
WHAT WILL GALATASARAY'S MOVE BE?
Following these developments, the move that Galatasaray, which previously called for the resignation of the Turkish Football Federation, will take after İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu's statements is eagerly awaited.