Sergen Yalçın Speaks Ahead of Belgium Match: Enes Ünal Will Start

Turkey's national football team will face Belgium on Thursday, 12 November, in their fifth match in Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League. The game will be played at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium in İzmir. Before the match, a press conference was held with head coach Sergen Yalçın and national player Enes Ünal.

Yalçın explained why Arda Okan Kurtulan could not be selected for the national team. He said Kurtulan was included in the squad but would not be able to play in these two matches because he did not choose to play for the Turkish national team. Yalçın said the coaching staff noticed this situation late, that the process was handled through paperwork, and that Kurtulan needs to submit a written petition. Yalçın said he had spoken with Kurtulan and that Kurtulan told him he would choose the Turkish national team.

The head coach announced that Enes Ünal will start as the striker. He said that starting Zeki in the starting XI would be very difficult, but that he could be used in 20 to 30 minute spells. He added that Kenan and Aral are not available for this camp.

Yalçın said that the decision not to include İrfan Can Kahveci in the squad was not a personal matter. He said they had selected an ideal squad of 26 players for the two matches and that there was an overload in certain positions. Noting that their situation in the group is clear, Yalçın said they could either take one or a few points and possibly play the play-out, or, if they can take three points, they could play the play-off match.