As Galatasaray gear up to clash with Zalgiris Vilnius in the Champions League's second qualification round, Coach Okan Buruk exudes unwavering confidence and ambitious determination.
In a news conference ahead of the crucial match, Buruk declared that his side's ultimate goal is to grace the hallowed grounds of the Champions League once again.
Respecting their formidable opponents, Buruk acknowledged Zalgiris Vilnius' impressive track record and achievements on their home turf.
Emphasizing the importance of successful performance and securing an advantageous away result, both teams are ravenous to progress in the Champions League qualifications.
"I have utmost faith in my players and the team as a whole. We are well-prepared and eager to tackle this challenge head-on," Buruk said.
Despite Zalgiris Vilnius holding the home advantage, Galatasaray aims to rise to the occasion and adapt swiftly to the synthetic field.
While reminiscing about their championship triumph last year, Buruk credited the players and fans for their unwavering support.
Now, with their sights firmly set on Europe's premier club competition, Galatasaray are determined to secure their place in the Champions League once more.
"Our player quality, coaching staff, loyal fans and the electric atmosphere of our stadium have us ready for the Champions League. Our objective is to navigate through these qualifiers and step onto the grand stage of the Champions League," Buruk said, drawing parallels to his successful Champions League journey at the helm of Başakşehir.
In a bold move to strengthen their squad, Galatasaray announced a groundbreaking three-year deal with Ivory Coast football sensation Wilfried Zaha, who previously played for English team Crystal Palace.
According to the statement released by Galatasaray Sportif AŞ to Borsa Istanbul and the Public Disclosure Platform: "An agreement has been reached with professional football player Dazet Wilfried Armel Zaha for three seasons. According to the agreement, the player will be paid a net signature fee of 2 million 330 thousand euros ($2 million 574 thousand) and a net 4 million 350 thousand euros seasonal fee for each football season."
Wilfried Zaha, born on Nov. 10, 1992, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, has carved a remarkable career in football.
Rising from Crystal Palace's infrastructure in 2010, he experienced a brief stint at Manchester United in January 2013 before returning to Crystal Palace.
With a total of 458 matches played for Crystal Palace, Zaha has impressively netted 90 goals and contributed 76 assists.
With Okan Buruk leading the charge and the thrilling addition of Wilfried Zaha to their ranks, Galatasaray enter the upcoming Champions League battle with renewed vigor and ambition.
