Veteran setter Arslan Ekşi sets the bar high for Galatasaray

The experienced setter Arslan Ekşi is among the standout names featuring on the roster of Galatasaray ISTANBUL for the 2026/2027 season. The team from the Turkish megalopolis will contest the elite #CLVolleyM for the second straight season and start their journey in Pool A – which includes Germany’s BERLIN Recycling Volleys, Greece’s Panathinaikos ATHENS and a team due to progress from the early rounds. 

“This is a new season and if we look back at the last two seasons, I think a much stronger and deeper roster was built this year. We have been working very hard and disciplined. With the return of our teammates from their national teams, especially over the last two weeks, we have gradually started getting used to each other and building better team cohesion. The depth and quality of our roster is an important advantage for us. The atmosphere within the team is really great. Everyone’s willingness to work, energy, and attitude toward one another are extremely positive. I believe this will reflect much better on the court as the season progresses,” the setter said. 

Galatasaray will be contesting as many as four competitions this season. “A very long, intense season awaits us. That is why I think we need to take it one match at a time and move step by step with the right planning. We have a deep and talented squad. Utilising this roster in the best way possible throughout the season will be crucial to reaching our goals. When it comes to our goals, we want to win titles in every tournament we compete in. Especially after missing out on the Turkish League championship in the finals over the last two seasons, we really want to win it this time. We dream of bringing back trophies to our club that have not been here in many years,” Arslan continued. “In Europe, we will be competing in the Champions League for the second consecutive year. Our primary goal is to reach the Final Four. After that, why not aim higher? I truly believe in the quality, potential, and capabilities of this team. I hope that by the end of the season we will have achieved our target goals and experienced great success together.” 

This will be Ekşi’s third season at Galatasaray. “I am entering my third season with this team, and I am truly very happy and proud to be the captain of such a great community. Being the captain of a club like is not something everyone gets to experience. It is a very valuable and special feeling for me. Over the past two seasons, I tried my best to fulfil the responsibility of captaincy, share my experience with my teammates, and lead them both on and off the court. During this process, one of the most precious things for me has been the love and respect shown to me by all the teammates I played with. I believe that is a priceless feeling. Moreover, still being able to compete at the highest level at this stage of my career and continuing to serve as captain of such a major club is a distinct source of pride for me. I know very well that this is not easy and requires immense effort and sacrifice over many years. Therefore, I always try to honour both this jersey and the responsibility of the captaincy,” said the 41-year-old. 

Last season, Galatasaray managed to reach the final stage of two competitions. “Unfortunately, we could not take that final step to secure the championship. Naturally, that was a huge disappointment for us. However, at the same time, I think we gained valuable experience. Despite facing serious challenges and difficulties in the past two seasons, we never gave up fighting and managed to make it all the way to the final. This season, our goal is no longer just to play in the final, but to win that final. In fact, building such a strong and deep roster was one of the main reasons for this goal. We are aware that our community and fans expect championships from us. As players, we feel this responsibility and have been working for it since the start of the season. Of course, a long season awaits us. There will certainly be ups, downs, and tough periods. What matters is preserving our unity during those times and never giving up the fight. We showed we could do that over the last two seasons. This season, with the experience we have gained, we want to overcome any challenges, reach the final again, and lift the trophy this time. I believe this team has the strength and character to accomplish this. Most importantly, I think we will make our fans feel our desire, fight, and belief in the championship throughout the entire season,” Arslan continued. 

The participation in the elite CEV Champions League for a second straight season is obviously high up on the agenda. “I think we have taken major steps toward becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe. Competing in the Champions League for the second consecutive year is one of the best proofs of that. Being at this level is no longer just a success for us, but a continuous goal we need to maintain. Looking at our roster this season, on paper I believe we are one of the strongest teams in the Champions League. We have a well-blended roster consisting of highly experienced, quality players alongside young, dynamic, and hungry talent. The experience of players who have previously achieved significant success is a huge advantage for us. Of course, the important thing is reflecting this quality onto the court. To be a permanent presence in Europe and consistently compete at this level, we must continue our success. I believe this club has established an important place for itself in Europe and become a tough opponent for any team. We want competing in the Champions League to become a habit for our club and remain consistent at this level in the coming years. I believe we can take it one step further this season and achieve significant success in Europe,” the experienced setter stated. 

Galatasaray’s first shot at a domestic title coincides with the Champions Cup. “The Champions Cup is truly very important to us. We are talking about a trophy that our club won once many years ago, and we want to reclaim it after a long time. On top of that, we will be playing against the team we lost to [Ziraat Bankasi] in the final over the last two seasons. From that perspective, one might think our opponent has a psychological advantage. However, we are taking the court this season with a much different, stronger, and higher-quality roster. Of course, we know our opponent made great transfers and has very high-quality players as well. So a very tough and fierce battle awaits us. Plus, it is a single-match final. In such matches, your performance on that day, the energy you capture, and your fighting spirit are decisive factors. At this point, the support of our fans is also very important to us. On match day, we will really need their energy and support. I can comfortably say that we currently have a group of players who wholeheartedly want to win this trophy, believe in it, and are determined to start the season with a championship. It won’t be easy, of course, but I trust my team completely. I believe that God willing, we will win that trophy and return home as champions,” he emphasised. 

Ekşi is also asking the fans of Galatasaray to stand behind the team at all times: “I want to sincerely thank our fans for all the support they have given us so far. Over the last two seasons, we shared many wonderful moments together, but we also went through difficult periods. We played in two finals, came very close to the championship, but unfortunately could not gift them that trophy. I know very well what kind of feeling that left both in us and in our fans. But I want to say this: we want to win those trophies just as much as they do. We are aware of the greatness of this community, its expectations, and the responsibility of the jersey we wear. We have a really strong team this season and we all share a common dream: to give this community those long-awaited championships once again. My only ask from our fans is to stand by us throughout the season, in good times and bad. Because their support is a massive source of strength for us, especially during tough moments. We want to be a team that steps onto the court every time to fight until the very end, never gives up, and honours this jersey. As the captain, I sincerely believe in this team, my teammates, and what we can achieve together. Now, together, we want to not only reach the finals, but lift the trophies at the end of those finals and share that joy with our fans. I hope that when we look back at the end of the season, we will have experienced a campaign we can all be proud of and remember for years to come. Because this community and these fans deserve that happiness more than enough!” he concluded. 

His feelings are echoed by Ramazan Efe Mandiraci, a truly valuable addition to the roster of Galatasaray for the 2026/2027 season: “Our team is a mix of energetic and experienced players. I even have teammates here with whom I have shared the court before. Everyone knows why we are here, and we continue our training with that exact desire and drive. It has been a high-quality and enjoyable process so far. An intense period lies ahead of us. I believe our technical and medical staff will manage this in the best way possible. Our goal is always to be at the top of the podium.” 

After previous stints in Izmir and Italy, Mandiraci is playing for an Istanbul club for the first time. “What makes the difference for me is not Istanbul or any other city; it’s the fact that I’m playing for Galatasaray. Speaking of the CEV Champions League, our goal is to make it to the Final Four and represent our country in the best possible way. As for the Champions Cup coming up soon, I am not someone who overthinks before games. We want to win the cup and dedicate it to the great Galatasaray fans. Together with our fans, we want to prove this season that we are the biggest club in Türkiye,” he concluded.