10.03.2025 10:10
In the match where Galatasaray defeated Alanyaspor 2-1, Okan Buruk did not give any playing time to Mertens. The fact that the Belgian player has barely played in recent weeks has drawn attention. This situation also caught the eye of football commentators Sergen Yalçın, Ümit Karan, and Tugay Kerimoğlu, who directed similar questions to Okan Buruk regarding Mertens. The commentators questioned why Mertens had not been playing in recent weeks.
In the 27th week of the Super League, Galatasaray defeated Alanyaspor 2-1 away. Okan Buruk did not give playing time to Mertens during the match, while it was noteworthy that the Belgian player has hardly played in recent weeks.
MERTENS' INJURY
Buruk has not been giving playing time to Mertens, whom he only kept on the field for less than 64 minutes once until the 22nd week of the Super League. In the Alanyaspor match, Buruk did not give any time to the Belgian player, and in the matches against Kasımpaşa and Fenerbahçe, he only kept Mertens on the field for 13 minutes.
CAUGHT ATTENTION
This situation also caught the attention of football commentators. Sergen Yalçın, Ümit Karan, and Tugay Kerimoğlu directed similar questions to Okan Buruk regarding Mertens.
The statements of these 3 commentators are as follows;
Ümit Karan: Okan, haven't you learned that you can't play Sara in the number 10 position? So what is the problem between you and Mertens? Did something happen that we don't know? Mertens has been resting for 3 weeks.
Tugay Kerimoğlu: The question is; Mertens has been resting for two matches. What is it, does he have a problem? The game at Galatasaray has started to be played like fill and empty. They are trying to pass the ball to Osimhen. I don't know why Mertens is not playing. After two matches, Mertens will be at a level to recover. After the absence of Europe, Mertens' chance to rest has also increased here.
Sergen Yalçın: If you ask me, Morata does not look like a player of the Turkish League at all. He didn't impress me at all. This game cannot be played with two number 9s. There is a guy named Mertens, where is he? Wouldn't it be better if Mertens played instead of Morata?