Thomas Tuchel: Noussair Mazraoui will not be punished

Thomas Tuchel, coach of the German representative Bayern Munich, who tomorrow will be Galatasaray’s guest on the third day of Group A of the UEFA Champions League, made statements at the press conference held at the hotel where they are staying.

The experienced coach affirmed that the Moroccan footballer Noussair Mazraoui, who supported Palestine during Israel’s attacks on Gaza, will not be punished.

Asked about allegations that the footballer, who shared a message of support for Palestine on social media, was working separately from the team, Tuchel said: “We met with Mazraoui. He did not train alone because of some suspension. Since he returned from the national team he represented, he had to do separate training sessions. We met with him individually. I don’t want to get into deep topics. As a club we made a statement about it. Noussair Mazraoui is our player. “There will definitely be no punishment,” he said.

“THE GALATASARAY TEAM IS VERY STRONG”

Tuchel stated that they must concentrate on each game separately: “We have to go step by step. The Galatasaray squad is very strong. They have a squad of quality players. A tough fight awaits us. But we also feel strong. We have enough strength and quality to get out of the group. Our goal is to get out of these groups. Our game tomorrow will be very tough. “We will fight against Galatasaray, who are undefeated in the last two games,” he said.

When asked about the atmosphere created by Galatasaray fans, Tuchel said: “The Champions League is not an easy stage. Galatasaray is a team that is always in Europe. “They are a strong team and have quality players,” he said.

Explaining that the yellow-red team proved their worth after the games against Copenhagen and Manchester United, Tuchel said: “They played very difficult games. They deservedly achieved it, especially with an incredible football campaign against a world-class team like Manchester United at Old Trafford. The fight between two well-established teams was very tough. It was a high-level match where we witnessed aggressive and fast attacks. “Galatasaray showed their worth with the football they played against Manchester United,” he said.

“ICARDI IS A GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER”

Thomas Tuchel stated that he knew that Mauro Icardi would not play due to his injury and that the Argentine star was a footballer who could make a difference.

The 50-year-old coach claimed to have received information about the condition of Icardi, injured in the Beşiktaş derby:

“According to the last information I received, Icardi was injured. He is a dangerous player if tomorrow he plays 30 or 45 minutes. He is a player who can make a big difference and change the score. For Galatasaray it is very important to have a great player in the fight for the Champions League. He is very dangerous for us, he is aggressive, mobile, his offensive activity is at a very good level, his pressure with and without the ball can affect the game. He is also a footballer who has an emotional bond with football. “I hope he doesn’t have a serious problem, but the information I received is that he won’t play.”

“TURKISH FOOTBALL IS IN GOOD DEVELOPMENT”

Thomas Tuchel stated that Turkish football is developing well.

When it was said that his name had previously been mentioned with Galatasaray, Tuchel continued his words as follows:

“I was very impressed by the games we played against Galatasaray. They improved on the field and in many club activities. Their organization on the field is of a high level. They play very aggressive and offensive football. Normally it would be appropriate to comment on my own equipment. However, Galatasaray has a very deep knowledge of football. I also watch Fenerbahçe and other teams’ games. Turkish football is developing well. Galatasaray is very rooted and at an incredible level. It has a very close-knit and passionate community of fans around the world. We need to put up our best fight against them. “We know that it will not be easy to play against a team like Galatasaray.” (AA)