Elano aims high with Galatasaray

Galatasaray’s newly signed midfielder Elano Blumer aims to meet major targets with the Istanbul club.

The Brazilian player told Galatasaray TV that he was happy with his performance for the team thus far. “I have played in two games, scored one goal and assisted one,” he said. “I am trying to increase my performance with daily training. As I always say, my aim here is to achieve major success, and I think I can manage that.”

Galatasaray travels to Ankara to take on Ankaraspor on Monday night at 9 p.m.; Elano believes the team can get the win away from home and maintain its perfect league record. “We are in good form, and we want to keep that form. For that, we must win in Ankara,” he added.

The home team is also gearing up for the match and Ankaraspor coach Jürgen Röber believes his team has a shot against the Istanbul club. “Our only handicap will be our number of injured players,” he told a press conference Friday.

Solid performance

In the first three weeks of the Turkcell Super League, the Ankara club played two away games and managed to snatch a total of five points. The team pulled out a 1-1 draw at Gaziantepspor away last week, but six of the players who played in that game have since been inactive due to injuries.

“The games against the Istanbul clubs always have a different atmosphere, though; the players give a 100 percent performance,” said Röber.

The coach declined to make a solid comment on the rumors regarding a possible merge between Ankaragücü and Ankaraspor. “The situation should not create a problem for us,” he said. “My players and I should not think about it; we must concentrate on our game.”

Röber also brushed off reports suggesting a major player swap between the two Ankara squads. “As I said, I want to focus on my team,” he told reporters. “But there is a very short time before the transfer window closes, and I do not think there will be major changes in such a short time.”