26.11.2025 10:30
Rıdvan Dilmen commented on Galatasaray's 1-0 loss to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League. He stated that injuries disrupted the yellow-red team's organization and that Okan Buruk's plans changed completely. Dilmen said, "If they had been at full strength, Galatasaray would have been very competitive for the top 8. But now, the top 8 seems a bit like a dream. A great opportunity was missed."
After Galatasaray's 1-0 loss to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, Rıdvan Dilmen made striking evaluations on Sports Digitale.
"OKAN BURUK'S FEARS CAME TRUE"
Rıdvan Dilmen stated that the 9 points Galatasaray collected in 4 matches is an important advantage, but injuries have disrupted the entire balance, saying, "When Okan Coach looked at the second 4 matches, injuries changed all the calculations. It became clear when watching the interview: he was saying, 'Let me play this match according to the 1-0 plan'."
Stating that the forced substitution after Jakobs' injury disrupted the flow of the game, Dilmen emphasized that pulling Arda back to center-back was a big mistake.
"THE CENTER-BACK PAIR WAS DISRUPTED, THE GAME WAS DISRUPTED"
Dilmen expressed that the disconnection in defense cost Galatasaray dearly, stating, "The only place Galatasaray should not have disrupted was the center-back pair. They struggle in every match they play without Sanchez. Arda, Abdülkerim, Sallai, and Sanchez quartet have never played together in their lives."
Touching on referee decisions, Dilmen mentioned that the second yellow card given to Arda was controversial and that Promise's foul position could also have been a red card.
"A BENCH WITHOUT A STAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE"
Dilmen stated that the most important reason for Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe making a difference in the league is their benches, saying that the yellow-reds struggled due to absences in this match, "The reason Galatasaray fell short today is their bench. This is also the reason why the two teams have opened a gap in the league."
"THE TOP 8 IS NOW A DREAM"
Making an important prediction regarding the Champions League goal, Dilmen said, "If they had been at full strength, Galatasaray would have been very competitive for the top 8. But now the top 8 has become a bit of a dream. A great opportunity was poorly seized."