During a post-game interview, our Technical Director Ertuğrul Sağlam evaluated Beşiktaş’s performance against Olympic Marseille.

He made a brief analysis of Marseille’s first goal: “It was truly an unlucky position for us. There was not even a scoring opportunity around. The wind blew against us and our keeper Hakan made a simple timing mistake. Then the ball hit the far post and fell in front of the opposing player. If we didn’t have that unlucky break, the game would end in a goalless draw. That goal completely turned our game upside down.”
He also complained about the referee’s poor officiating: “He turned his back on home team’s roughness from the start. That’s why we lost Ricardinho. We had to make two key substitutions before the half time. These unexpected changes altered our game strategy completely. We tried to complain during the game but with no result. There was nothing else we could do.”
Mr. Sağlam also emphasized that they didn’t come here for securing a single point. “We didn’t step on the field for a draw as everyone would expect us to do. But the course of both teams’ performances forced us play in that direction. Since we were not too productive offensively, we had to rely on our defense. Everything was working out fine except that unfortunate position. But there is always a tomorrow.”
Reminding us that Beşiktaş has still 5 Champions League games to play, Ertuğrul Sağlam rounded up his words by saying: “We were planning to come out of here with extra points. But we must not be discouraged because we have 5 more group games  to make up for this unlucky loss.”