Turkey national football team manager Vincenzo Montella pointed out important moments in their 2-0 victory over Bulgaria in Bursa in the fifth match of Group E of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, BTA reported.
"First of all, I want to congratulate our players. It was not an easy match. I congratulate Bulgaria too. We conceded a few chances in the second half, which was a bit disappointing. We are sorry about Kaan Ayhan's injury. He had a problem before the match and his condition will be determined tomorrow morning," said Montella.
When asked about expectations for the match with Spain, Montella said: “This is a match that will not have much significance in terms of standings, but it is important for us. We kept our players for this match today with rotation and substitutions. Whatever lineup we use, the competition is very strong. We have confidence in all our players.“
Speaking about Kerem Akturkoglu's performance and the enthusiasm of the Bursa fans, Montella said: “We experienced an incredible passion in Bursa. It moved us. An Italian friend of mine said that it was the first time he had seen such an atmosphere here in his life. Kerem motivated the team wonderfully. We want to go out with a full squad in March and we are taking the necessary decisions for that”.