Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has reflected on his team's 4-1 home defeat to Barcelona in the second round of the UEFA Champions League league phase.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Turkish side made a promising start to the encounter, taking the lead in the 28th minute through Alexey Batrakov. However, Barcelona responded with four unanswered goals to secure a convincing comeback victory in Istanbul.
Buruk admitted that his team had performed well in the opening half but struggled to maintain their intensity after the break.
"I think we played really well in the first half. We put pressure on Barcelona and even took the lead. However, they started the second half very effectively.
"Our fighting spirit dropped after we conceded the third goal. Barcelona are in excellent form. They have top-class players and a squad that has been playing together for a long time. They are now reaping the rewards of that continuity. I congratulate them. As for us, we are entering a period in which we will improve," Buruk told UEFA's official website.
The Galatasaray coach acknowledged the strength and cohesion of the Spanish giants, whose second-half performance proved decisive in turning the match around.
Despite the heavy defeat, Buruk remained optimistic about his team's prospects, expressing confidence that Galatasaray would improve as the Champions League campaign progresses.
For Barcelona, the victory marked their second consecutive win in the league phase, maintaining their perfect start to the competition.
