On the eve of Turkey's match against the Czech Republic in the third round of the UEFA Europa League group stage on June 27, Beijing time, Turkish player Ayhan was interviewed, expressing his expectations and memories of the upcoming match.
Ayhan began by recalling Turkey's historic victory against the Czech Republic at Euro 2008, which he said left a deep impression on his mind. He said, "I hope that in this tournament we will be able to repeat the glory of that year and even achieve greater success." Ayhan mentioned that in Germany, in front of passionate fans, they hope to follow the same winning path as in 2008.
Talking about the fixtures in this Europa League, Ayhan believes that the match against Georgia was a good start and against Portugal, although they had chances to win, Portugal was really strong. He said, "We have one more game to go and hopefully we can end up with six points and finish second in the group."
When talking about coach Montella, Ayhan was full of appreciation. He said, "Montella is a coach who is rich in tactical analysis and well-trained. He guides us with Italian discipline, which I like very much." Ayhan also mentioned that Montella has a clear plan on and off the field and wants everyone on the team to share his passion.
Finally, Ayhan talked about his versatile attributes. He said, "I can play in different positions, both in the Turkish league and in the Champions League. For me, it is a great honor to represent my country, regardless of position."
