European media questions Montella’s decision to bench Arda Guler

In the second Group F match in Euro 2024, Türkiye’s 3-0 defeat to Portugal has sparked debates over head coach Vincenzo Montella’s decisions.

Montella’s choice to stick with the lineup that defeated Georgia 3-1 drew criticism in Türkiye, while European media questioned why Türkiye’s wunderkind Arda Guler did not play.

Spanish newspaper AS stated, “When Arda Guler entered the game, his presence was felt. He moved the ball meaningfully in the midfield and near the penalty area, and everything developed around him. This makes it difficult to understand why he didn’t start the match in the first 11.”

British newspaper, The Sun also criticized the decision to bench Guler. The Sun wrote: “Young footballer Arda Guler was the player Turkish fans wanted to see on the field against Portugal, and from the moment he entered the game, he did not disappoint. After Guler entered the game, he completed five out of five forward passes in the final third with 100% accuracy. No other player made as many passes in the final third throughout the entire match.”

Italian newspaper Calciomercato noted: “Montella surprised with his lineup choices by not including both Juventus player Kenan Yildiz and the phenomenal Arda Guler, who scored a great goal against Georgia but had slight muscle fatigue.”

Argentinian outlet Bolavip questioned: “Why did Arda Guler enter the Türkiye-Portugal match in the second half?” In their article, they wrote: “Guler was not in Vincenzo Montella’s starting 11. The Real Madrid player started and even scored a goal against Georgia in the first week but was only brought on in the second half this time.”