Why Onyekuru Is Sidelined For Galatasaray Clash – Demirel

As tension builds ahead of Gençlerbirliği’s vital league showdown against league leaders Galatasaray, head coach Volkan Demirel has made a bold statement by dropping Nigerian striker Henry Onyekuru from the matchday squad.

The decision, confirmed just days before the high-stakes encounter, underscores Demirel’s insistence on form and fitness over reputation or contract status.

Speaking candidly to Turkish sports daily Fotomac, Demirel did not hide his disappointment with the 28-year-old forward’s contributions since arriving on a free transfer last summer.

“We are not satisfied with his performance,” the coach said bluntly. While acknowledging that Onyekuru remains under contract for another season, Demirel made it clear that past pedigree counts for little when results are on the line.

“Onyekuru is our player, he has one more year on his contract,” Demirel continued. “I got a good performance from him in one match where I played him, and I put him back on the field in the Başakşehir match. But I didn’t get the performance I wanted in that match. In my subsequent report, I stated that I had other thoughts, but it went in different directions.”

The coach’s frustration is rooted in cold statistics. Across 17 league appearances for the Red and Black, Onyekuru has yet to register a single goal or assist — a barren run that has tested the patience of both the technical staff and the club’s supporters.

Despite his explosive pace and dribbling ability, the former Everton and Monaco man has failed to translate those traits into decisive attacking output.

Demirel, however, left the door open for a potential return to favor. “Onyekuru is our football player. If he performs well, I will support him. Because I want to get performance from every player,” he emphasised.

The message is clear, past credentials will not guarantee playing time, but a turnaround in effort and effectiveness could quickly restore Onyekuru’s place.

With Galatasaray pushing for the title and Gençlerbirliği fighting for every point to secure their own survival or mid-table ambitions, Demirel’s gamble sends a signal to the entire squad — no player, regardless of name or wage, is immune from being dropped when standards slip.

For Onyekuru, the challenge now is to prove his coach wrong in training and force his way back into the lineup before the season slips away.