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Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk criticized the referee following his team's 3-1 Champions League loss to Sporting CP in Lisbon. Buruk claimed key decisions had a direct impact on the result, as Sporting came back from behind to win 3-1. The Portuguese side scored first through a Luis Suárez penalty, then Rodrigo Zalazar netted the winning goal.

Buruk felt Galatasaray dominated the first half, controlling the majority of possession and creating numerous chances. However, he felt the team conceded an equalizer from a single attack. The turning point came early in the second half when Sporting was awarded a penalty after a VAR review. Suárez converted, putting the Portuguese team ahead.

Buruk questioned the decision, especially given the competition level, stating, "To give a penalty like that in the Champions League is simply not acceptable." The Norwegian referee also drew Buruk's ire, recalling a previous experience with him in Istanbul where he felt a red card should have been given. Buruk argued that two decisions, the missed red card and the penalty awarded to Sporting, directly affected the score and caused his team to drop significantly after trailing 2-1.

Despite the comeback, Sporting went on to win 3-1 and start their Champions League campaign with three points.