Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images
Arda Guler is far from a protagonist under Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid but continues to grow from strength to strength with the Turkish national team.
At a young age, the midfield phenom has established himself as an undisputed starter and the focal point of the national team setup, and he was once again instrumental in the team’s game.
The 19-year-old started and played 86 minutes in Turkey’s 0-0 draw against Wales and put up a stunning performance as one of the best players on the field.
Turkey manager speaks on Guler
Speaking to the media after the game (h/t RM4Arab), Turkish NT manager Vincenzo Montella spoke on Guler’s quality and why he had to take off the player before the full-time whistle despite his strong showing.
“It’s a really tough job to take Arda Guler out of the game, you never want to take him off. He’s a great footballer, fast.”
“He hasn’t played consistently for a long time, so I concluded that he physically can’t continue,” he added.
On the night, Guler recorded two shots on target, had one shot blocked, completed three out of three attempted dribbles and made three key passes.
Further, he completed the game with 89% pass accuracy, five defensive actions and three accurate long balls.
He is expected to take part in the team’s upcoming clash against Montenegro as well, possibly as a starter, before returning home to Madrid where he will again face tough competition for a starting spot.
With the schedule only growing more hectic with each passing day, it is bound to be just a matter of time before Guler gets the prominence he deserves at the Spanish capital.
