Cibara: The Pitch Surface Is Not the Only Reason for Injuries

The November Ordinary Meeting of the Galatasaray Sports Club Divan Kurulu addressed problems with the stadium pitch. Vice President Mehmet Cibara said SIS, the company they are working with on the surface, is one of the best firms in this field. Cibara said the pitch's dryness had been raised from 30 percent to 65 percent, and that heating, vacuum and drainage systems are installed beneath the pitch.

Cibara said the surface starts to deteriorate every year on the same dates, August 12 or 14, and returns to its former condition in November after work that begins in September. Stating that they wanted to have the pitch ready for the Samsunspor and Aston Villa matches, Cibara argued that the injuries were not caused by the pitch. He described Rafael Leão's injury as a different situation. He said they were wary of snowfall, had brought in a ready-made hybrid roll system from Italy, and could raise the hybrid ratio from 8 percent to 10 percent.

Cibara's remark about Victor Osimhen, calling his condition "chronic," sparked debate on social media and among fans. In a correction that followed, Cibara said he had wrongly used the word "chronic" instead of "acute," and explained that Osimhen does not have a chronic illness.

Cibara also referred to the argument and resignations involving Sportif A.Ş. Acting Chairman Abdullah Kavukçu and Club Second Chairman Metin Öztürk. He said the incident did not take place during a board of directors meeting, that there was no physical intervention, and that the event should not be judged from one side only.

At the meeting, the late Cevad Prekazi, who had passed away in recent days, was also remembered. Alp Yalman and Mustafa Denizli recalled Prekazi's services to Galatasaray.