A historic match for Beşiktaş; Gabriel Paulista talks about his tough return and endless motivation

Gabriel Paulista, defender of Beşiktaş football team, described the victory in the Istanbul derby as one of the most important matches in the club's history and emphasized that they entered the field with motivation rooted in past achievements.

Return after four months of a tough injury

The 34-year-old Beşiktaş defender spoke to reporters after the match at Tüpraş Stadium about going through a very difficult and painful period. He said:

"First of all, I want to thank our coaches and medical staff. Everyone who helped me along the way truly deserves appreciation. After four months of a tough injury, I managed to play the full 90 minutes. This return was very important both for my family and my career."

He also wished a speedy recovery to his teammate Felix Uduokhai, who underwent surgery, and added: "Felix is a great player and I hope he returns to the squad very soon."

The symbolic importance of the derby for the club’s history

Paulista, referring to Beşiktaş’s history, said:

"Everyone knows that Beşiktaş is the only team that became league champion without a single loss. We entered the match with that motivation and showed a performance beyond expectations."

He considered this victory very valuable and added that the team must continue in the same way, as there are more important matches ahead.

Focusing on our own game, not the opponent

Paulista continued his remarks, emphasizing that the team’s main focus is always on their own style of play:

"We always try to focus on ourselves and our style of play. Of course, sometimes decisions are made that we may object to, but our objections are always within the bounds of respect."

He continued: "Today all the players performed incredibly and fought until the last moment for the win. Thanks to the coach’s good guidance, we got the result we wanted."

Reaction to Galatasaray player's remarks

In the end, Paulista responded to the comments made by Yunus Akgün, a Galatasaray player, who said after his team’s defeat that "they defeated the biggest club in Turkey," and he confidently stated: