After winning the French championship with Lille OSC, national striker Burak Yilmaz also joined the Turkish team. In his birthplace Antalya, where Turkey is currently completing its first EM preparation camp, the 35-year-old goalgetter spoke to the national press. Last season, with 16 goals and five assists in 28 league games, Yilmaz played a key role in Lille winning the Ligue 1 title. Of course the striker was proud of that: “I asked Zeki who would win the championship if it wasn’t PSG. He replied ‘we of course’ Abi. And I was convinced that we could do it. We became champions against the biggest club in the world. You have to look at it that way. To end up in his ranks in front of an opponent with players like Neymar and Mbappe is a great achievement. Of course I want to thank the team here. Everyone made a huge contribution. The fans, the city, the coach … everyone. “
Pressure as a guarantee of success
Yilmaz described what it meant for him to play for Turkey again: “For us, wearing the Milli Takim jersey is above all else. We have to look at the bigger picture, but look from game to game. The game against Italy is currently the top priority for our team. In qualifying for the World Cup, we put in a strong performance in the big games. If we think from game to game, then we are successful. This thing, which one would be afraid of or would shy away from, has been raised a lot lately. Nobody is afraid of anyone. Neither we in front of Italy, nor Italy in front of us. We know how tough the game will be. Italy is the embodiment of defensive work. Pressure is always good for me. You should maybe increase the pressure before the game, maybe that would be even better, ”said Yilmaz.
Praise for the team and national coach – thanks to the press
Yilmaz also emphasized the importance of Senol Günes as national coach: “There were also difficult times. Nobody wants to deny that. Still, many players were won back. Now there is a very good atmosphere and team chemistry with us. The media also play a major role here. During the international matches you gain distance from the clubs and concentrate solely on the national team. The influence of coach Senol Günes is of course very big. If we were to talk about Senol Günes, I could talk non-stop for two days. With the good development of the national team, I also see the increasing support from the press. I thank everyone for that. “
Future plans are still uncertain
In terms of career development and transfers, Yilmaz was also able to elicit some statements: “I started in the youth department of Antalyaspor when I was seven. Now I’m 35 and back here again. Fortunately, I had a great football career. Together with that, I’ve experienced everything in football. I was sent away, loaned out, sold, and the top scorer. I’ve lived through the good and the bad. I won a very nice championship in France. I said I want to go back too Galatasaray. It did not work. I said I want to go back too Besiktas, it did not work. Joking aside. I don’t know yet what I’ll be doing in football from now on. I don’t know whether I’ll stay in Lille or go somewhere else. At the moment my focus is only on the European Championship. Are there any offers? Yes, there are good offers. But now I just want to concentrate on the Italy game. “
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