Okan Buruk Criticizes New Roster Rule After Galatasaray's Loss

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk provided his thoughts after the team's 1-0 loss to Kasımpaşa in the final match of the Süper Lig season. The match took place on May 17, 2026, at 22:53.

Buruk commented on the team's performance and the loss. "We had a very long match schedule, including 12 UEFA Champions League matches, 5 Turkish Cup games, 34 Süper Lig matches, and 2 Süper Kupa games. Reaching the end of the season as champions was important for us. We did not put players who had played a lot of games in the starting lineup. I told Torreira before the match, and Osimhen was serving a suspension. We played with a strong squad. We did everything we could to win. We had a chance in the first half, but they scored. Our concentration was good, and we sought an equalizing goal but couldn’t manage it. The opponent’s defensive line and resistance also prevented us from scoring.

Regarding the upcoming transfer window, Buruk expressed concerns about the new 10+4 foreign player rule. "We saw the UEFA Champions League round of 16, and we want to improve on that. The league is over, but the transfer window is starting. We have preparations there. The ambiguity around the number of foreign players is confusing everyone. Many clubs are not ready for the 10+4 rule. The existing contracts and the need to challenge teams in the UEFA Champions League will be tough. We want young players, but they need to be ready to play. This new rule will be financially challenging for us. We might try it as an investment, but for a team playing in the UEFA Champions League like us, this rule will be a burden. Achieving our goals will be more challenging due to this rule.

Buruk concluded by expressing his skepticism about the rule's impact. "Currently, we have 10 players with contracts, some ending, and others in negotiations. The rules change every year. It’s been changing 10 times in recent years. Unfortunately, there is no long-term plan here. I don’t think this decision, this rule, is correct. I think this rule will be very challenging for many clubs."