Arda Turan: Facing Emre Belözoğlu will be one of the most beautiful memories

Arda Turan held a press conference after his side lost 1-0 to Sporting in the fourth week of the UEFA Champions League. The experienced coach said his team did many things right against the Portuguese side, but that they had been clumsy and had to improve. He said he wanted to teach his young players to play moments more accurately. The coach recalled that he had trained the defence in the first session 1.5 years ago, stressed that football is a defensive game, and said they had learned this painfully in the last two matches.

Asked about the foul on Vinicius Tobias inside the box in the Shakhtar Donetsk match and the VAR review that followed, Turan said he believed it was a penalty. Referring also to the Galatasaray match, Turan argued that VAR was looking for decisions against Sporting. Criticising the Italian referees, the head coach said the decision had hurt him and that the referees should be ashamed.

Arda Turan said that the Fenerbahçe match, which they will play on Wednesday, 25 November in the Champions League, would be one of the most beautiful moments of his life, whatever the score. Regarding Emre Belözoğlu taking over at Fenerbahçe, he said he had known him since his playing days, was close to his family, and saw him as a nephew. He added that Fenerbahçe was the team he most wanted to compete against since childhood, and that he did not hate them.

Turan said they have great respect for Fenerbahçe, but for now they are focused on the upcoming match against Dynamo Kyiv. He said the opponent has experienced and high-quality players. He said they would try to match them with their youth, but that this match would be difficult for them.