AZ Alkmaar's head coach makes statements that could pit Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe against each other.

In the 5th week of the Europa League, AZ Alkmaar drew 1-1 with Galatasaray at home. After the match, AZ Alkmaar's head coach Maarten Martens made statements at the press conference.

Speaking about the match, the coach said, "Our plan was working well. We were applying good pressure. We tried not to let them breathe too much. They were vulnerable on the side where Ruben van Bommel played. We could have made it 2-0, but it didn't happen. We earned 7 points in the organization. I am very pleased. I notice that we are getting stronger."

"GALATASARAY IS MORE FIRED UP"

Comparing Galatasaray's game to Fenerbahçe's, the coach stated, "Galatasaray takes more risks than Fenerbahçe. They leave 3 players at the back. Galatasaray's defenders are fast and strong. They are also closer to scoring. Looking at the matches we played, I can say that Galatasaray is more fired up than Fenerbahçe. I am happy that we drew with such a club," he expressed.

"WE OUTPERFORMED FENERBAHÇE"

Martens expressed that Galatasaray is physically at a high level, saying, "We may be less experienced, but our young players are very eager. We needed to increase the tempo against Turkish teams. This way, we outperformed Fenerbahçe. Galatasaray, on the other hand, is at a higher physical level. Galatasaray is a team that runs more. I am proud of my players. They can maintain a high tempo. We were able to challenge our opponents. We earned 3 points against Fenerbahçe and 1 point against Galatasaray," he concluded.