Nigeria defender Chibuike Nwaiwu has revealed how new Trabzonspor manager Thomas Reis urged the team to maintain their intensity as they secured a stunning 4-0 victory over Galatasaray in Saturday’s Turkish Süper Lig encounter.
Trabzonspor produced one of their most impressive performances of the season at Papara Park, handing the defending champions their first defeat of the campaign and ending their unbeaten start in emphatic fashion.
Nwaiwu started at centre-back and played the full 90 minutes as Trabzonspor dominated the contest. The Nigeria international said Reis’ half-time instructions were crucial in ensuring the players remained focused despite taking a commanding 3-0 lead into the break.
“We went into the locker room at halftime. Among the things we talked about, along with our teammates, were what our coach told us: that we needed to keep going, maintain the score, and that we could finish the match with even higher scores,” Nwaiwu said.
He added that the players understood the quality of their opponents and knew they could not afford to relax.
“Because we are up against a formidable opponent. The discussion focused on the need for us to continue in this serious manner,” the defender said.
Nwaiwu revealed that Trabzonspor had endured a demanding week of preparation for the encounter following the arrival of Reis, who was appointed only two days before the match after Fatih Tekke’s departure.
“It was a tough week for us. You know, we worked all week for this challenging match after the spring break. With our new coach, we’ve been playing with more rhythm, and I want to dedicate this to our fans,” he said.
Despite having only recently taken charge, Reis quickly earned praise from Nwaiwu for the immediate impact he has made within the squad.
“If I have to talk about him, I would say he is a very good coach. I think he will become a part of our family,” the Nigeria international said.
Trabzonspor completed the remarkable victory with a four-goal display, highlighted by a hat-trick from Mohamed Salah, while Noah Saviolo also got on the scoresheet.
The emphatic result represents a major statement from Trabzonspor and provides Reis with an ideal start to his tenure, while Nwaiwu’s full-match contribution further underlined his importance at the heart of the defence.
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