Volkan Demirel says the derby hinges on İsmail Kartal

Former Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Volkan Demirel said in a comment on the YouTube channel Kısa Paslar that the fate of Monday's derby will be decided by the yellow-navy club's head coach, İsmail Kartal.

Demirel said Galatasaray derbies are matches without a clear favorite. He noted that squad quality and form matter up to a point, but that the winner of the derby will be the team that wins it in its head and fights harder on the pitch. He said that if a loss of morale occurs after the 15th minute, as it did in the Slavia Prague match, Galatasaray will not forgive it.

According to the former keeper's assessment, Fenerbahçe can leave the pitch with a win if they can extend the enthusiasm and pressure they showed in the first 11 minutes into the 60th to 70th minutes. For this reason, he stressed that the process largely depends on how İsmail Kartal prepares the team psychologically for the derby and on the changes he makes during the match.

Demirel also criticized Kartal's statements at the press conferences held after matches. "İsmail Hoca's remarks like 'We played very well, we didn't deserve it, we were unlucky' no longer satisfy the club," he said.