Okan Buruk names Florian Wirtz issue Liverpool must solve against Galatasaray

Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk has offered an interesting view on Florian Wirtz ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash at Anfield, with the Turkish coach suggesting Liverpool’s biggest puzzle is still how to fit the German into the side without losing balance elsewhere.

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With us needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, every selection decision around Arne Slot’s team feels significant, and Buruk has now openly discussed the problem that Wirtz can create for opposition managers and, potentially, for Liverpool too.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference via Fanatik, the Galatasaray manager said: “When I was thinking about Liverpool’s 11, their 11 in the first match was a surprise.”

He then moved onto the wider issue around the Germany international and how he fits into our attacking shape.

Buruk explained: “If you have Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai in the midfield and Gakpo and Salah on the wing, where will Wirtz play? To play all 4 players he plays Szoboszlai at right back.”

Buruk thinks Liverpool must solve Wirtz balance

That is a fascinating admission because it shows Galatasaray are thinking about Wirtz not just as an individual talent, but as a tactical issue Liverpool still haven’t fully cracked.

The 22-year-old drifted inside frequently in Istanbul and Buruk admitted that caused problems early on.

The Galatasaray coach said: “In the first game Wirtz came in a lot from the edge, in the first minutes we couldn’t settle against it but then we managed.”

That point lands at an awkward time for our No.7 because criticism has been growing in recent days.

Craig Burley has already described the playmaker as “a little bit of a waste so far this season”, while Paul Scholes argued Wirtz has made us too possession-based compared to the more aggressive Liverpool sides of the past.

Liverpool need the best version of Wirtz tonight

Even so, Buruk’s comments also underline why Wirtz remains so important.

Opposition managers are clearly still planning specifically for him, and that alone tells us he remains one of the key threats in this team.

For us, the challenge now is getting the best out of the German without weakening other parts of the side.

If Liverpool are to turn this tie around at Anfield, Wirtz feels like one of the players who has to make the difference.

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