Beşiktaş head coach Vincenzo Italiano declared Galatasaray the best team in the Turkish Super Lig, calling the upcoming Istanbul derbi a match his side must win.
Italiano made the comments after his team’s 3-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği, noting his players are still adapting to his new system.
Italiano’s Praise and Warning for Galatasaray
“We will be playing away. Then we will face the league’s best team,” Italiano stated. “I have to say they are still a hungry team with hungry players. It is a match we must win.”
The Italian coach emphasized the difficulty of facing a club with a recent history of dominance. “It is really a very good team we will face. We are also a new team.
There are many new players, a new coach, and a new idea here. You cannot be at your best right away against a team that has been champion four seasons in a row. We know how important this match is.”
A Team in Transition
Italiano framed the challenge as part of a larger rebuilding process. He pointed out that Beşiktaş is still integrating new players and tactical concepts, which creates a gap when facing a more established and settled squad like Galatasaray. He confirmed that preparations for the match would begin after the upcoming international break.
“When the time comes, we will prepare for that match,” Italiano said. “We know we have to beat them. It’s a match we all know we must win.”
Addressing Fatigue and Rotation
The manager also spoke openly about the physical toll of a congested schedule, which saw his team play on both Thursdays and Sundays. “Sometimes when you make rotations, you can compromise on quality,” Italiano explained. “Unfortunately, this can be difficult to see from the outside, but there is also this thing called fatigue. It is an important factor. We need everyone. Everyone needs to be involved.”
He acknowledged recent points dropped against Kasımpaşa and in Europe against Celtic but insisted his team is still adhering to its pre-season plan. “We did not get all the points we could have. But we are still continuing as per the program we made before the season. Therefore, I do not think there is a problem,” he said.
Trossard’s Impact and Upcoming Focus
A bright spot in the recent performances has been the form of Leandro Trossard, who provided all three assists in the win over Gençlerbirliği. Italiano singled out the midfielder for praise.
“I want to congratulate Trossard. He did a wonderful job in the center of the park,” the coach stated. “After the international break, I want to work with him again on these topics because he gives us great help in the center. He has presented us with a good option, a solution. He is already a very experienced, good player. I want to work with him even more on this.”
Focus on Fixing Problems
Despite the positive result, Italiano said several issues require attention. “We showed what a big team is like, starting the match well despite being tired,” he reflected. “But there are problems we need to fix. When the players return from the national team, we will start working to solve these problems.”
The coach specifically mentioned the challenge of playing away from home, which he described as an area the team is actively working to improve. “We have an away problem. We are working on it and we will solve it,” he concluded.
Questions About the Galatasaray vs. Beşiktaş Match
- When is the Galatasaray vs. Beşiktaş match?
- The match will take place after the upcoming international break. Italiano confirmed his team will be playing away.
- What did Italiano say about Galatasaray?
- He called Galatasaray “the league’s best team” and said they are “still a hungry team with hungry players” that his side must beat.
- Why did Italiano say his team is not ready for Galatasaray yet?
- He explained that Beşiktaş is a “new team” with many new players, a new coach, and new ideas, making it difficult to be at their best against a team that has been champion four seasons in a row.
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