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Our Football Director, Oğuz Çetin, spoke to the press following our 1–1 draw with Olympique Lyonnais.

Assessing the match and expressing his confidence in progressing to the next round, Çetin said, “Once again, the fantastic Fenerbahçe fans packed the stadium and backed the team. That was crucial. It kept the team going. We played our third match in a week. The team gave their all in terms of effort. That is encouraging. The team still has some way to go to be more effective in terms of play. We need to raise our fitness and physical condition to a higher level. We need to be more effective in the final third. In matches like this, we also need to secure the result. Today, we all experienced this together. We were right there with the players on the pitch. We’ll be travelling to Lyon to progress to the next round. Our belief is very high. Our players believe in this. Fenerbahçe will continue on this path, despite all the difficult circumstances.”

When asked about the request to postpone the Konyaspor match to be played on Saturday evening, our Football Director Oğuz Çetin said, “We made a request regarding the Gençlerbirliği match, given the challenging period facing the great Fenerbahçe Sports Club and, in particular, the prospect of qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 17 years. We did not make this request on a whim. In particular, the fact that the Gençlerbirliği match was scheduled for the 15th of the month following the Sturm Graz match, whilst the Lyon match was on the 18th, meant that the team’s physical recovery, rest, completion of preparations and travel times posed a major handicap for us. We made this request once. The Football Federation rejected our valid reasons. I do not consider it appropriate to make any further requests of the Federation that issued this response. At the same time, I declare, alongside our President, Mr Aziz Yıldırım, that from day one we have made it clear we would not make such requests under any circumstances. We have no such request. With our self-confidence and conviction, we will take to the pitch for the Konya match and win that fixture. Immediately afterwards, we will travel to Lyon and progress to the next round. We are very determined in this regard. We have never had such a request. Following this rejection, it would not be right to make any further requests of that organisation.”

Our Football Director, Oğuz Çetin, had the following to say regarding the transfer of a domestic centre-back should Milan Skriniar and Nathan Aké be considered as options:

“Everything is on the table. We are continuing with all our efforts until the transfer window closes on 2 September. We are working not just on that position – centre-back – but on every position. Wherever we have a need, this work is continuing. We’ll see the results in the coming days.”

Speaking about Marco Asensio’s pre-season preparations and performance, Oğuz Çetin said:

“We’re experiencing some physical difficulties with certain players due to their late start to the pre-season and the fact that they’re gradually building up their fitness. Just as we said when Romelu Lukaku first arrived – ‘He needs a build-up’ – today it’s 15 minutes, then 20 minutes in the next match, then 30 minutes… If we are to help him find his match rhythm by protecting him and improving his fitness, the same applies to Marco Asensio at an earlier stage. As you know, he was unable to play football for a long time last year following his injury. He went on holiday and rejoined the squad afterwards. Since rejoining the squad, he has been going through the process of getting himself physically ready again. As you may recall, I said on television, ‘I’ll say Marco, and nothing else.’ But he too needs to go through this process step by step and reach the desired level of fitness. That is why Marco Asensio is our most valuable player. He, too, needs time. Our loyal supporters should know that Marco Asensio is a player we cannot do without, just as he is a player our manager, İsmail Kartal, cannot do without. However, every player needs time. Marco still needs time to reach his desired form. You saw Nene today; he’s started to make a step-by-step return following his operation. Even though he wasn’t 100 per cent ready today, he took his place in the team. He played his first match as he works to regain his match rhythm. He, too, will progress step by step. These are challenging weeks for the players. We will go through these difficult phases until the players are 100 per cent fit. Asensio is a very important player for us. He, too, needs time to improve his form. He is doing so step by step.”

Our Head Coach, İsmail Kartal, spoke to the media following our Champions League play-off first-leg match against Olympique Lyonnais.

Sharing his thoughts on the match, our Head Coach İsmail Kartal said the following:

“We started the match well today. My players fought hard from start to finish, adhering to our tactical discipline. We also created some good chances. My players played today knowing exactly how to approach a Champions League match. The match ended in a draw, but we could have won it! Today, we put in a good performance, competing with excellent tactical discipline, and I congratulate my players for that. Although we were unable to secure a favourable scoreline here for the second leg – the match ended 1–1 – there is only one match left for us to qualify for the Champions League. We want to win that match with a fine performance, qualify for the Champions League and make our fans happy. Our fans supported us magnificently from start to finish today. I’d like to thank them very much from here. God willing, we hope to play good football and put up a strong fight in the second leg to qualify for the Champions League and make our fans happy.”

Our Fenerbahçe side continued their preparations this evening for their away match against Gençlerbirliği on Saturday 15 August at 9.30 pm, in the first week of the Trendyol Süper Lig Adnan Süvari Season, with a training session at our Can Bartu Training Centre. Our new signing, Romelu Lukaku, also took part in his first training session with the team.

The training session, led by our Head Coach İsmail Kartal, began with strength and endurance work in the gym. The players then moved onto the pitch, where they continued with warm-up, agility and coordination exercises before splitting into two groups to practise 5-a-side ball possession and passing drills. The day’s training concluded with small-sided games in a confined area.

Our football team will complete their preparations for the Gençlerbirliği match with a training session on Friday 14 August, before travelling to Ankara.

Having never suffered a defeat in previous European cup matches against Austrian sides and adding yet another victory to their tally, our Fenerbahçe side advanced to the UEFA Champions League play-off round following their triumph at the Graz Liebenau Stadium.

Having secured a 2-0 victory in Istanbul and then getting the result they needed away at Sturm Graz, our football team capped off the night with a magnificent victory, taking another significant step by securing their place in the play-off round.

Displaying a performance that kept the opposition at bay for the full 90 minutes, thanks to our players’ character on the pitch and the unwavering faith of our magnificent supporters, Fenerbahçe returned from the away fixture in Austria with a 1-0 victory courtesy of Anderson Talisca’s penalty.

Whilst our team caught the eye with their performance, our Brazilian star player Anderson Talisca, who scored his fourth goal in his fourth match, also achieved a notable statistical milestone.

Our Fenerbahçe side have begun preparations without delay for their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second-leg match away against Sturm Graz on Tuesday 11 August.

During the training session held at the Fenerbahçe Can Bartu Training Centre under the supervision of our Head Coach, İsmail Kartal, the players who started in the first XI and played for over 60 minutes in last night’s match against Sturm Graz undertook a recovery session.

The rest of the squad began their session with warm-up, agility and coordination drills, before moving on to 5-a-side ball possession and passing exercises. The day’s training concluded with small-sided games in a confined area.

Our Fenerbahçe side completed their preparations for tomorrow evening’s UEFA Champions League second qualifying round second-leg match away against Polish side Gornik Zabrze with a training session held this evening at the Zabrze Arena, where the match will take place. Our Chairman, Aziz Yıldırım, and members of the Board of Directors also watched the training session.

The first 15 minutes of the training session, led by our Head Coach İsmail Kartal, were open to the press.

The session began with running, warm-up and coordination exercises, after which our players, split into two groups, carried out 5-a-side ball possession and passing drills. The training session concluded with tactical and individual drills.

Having completed their preparations for the Gornik Zabrze match with this training session, our team returned to their hotel to await kick-off.

Dirk Kuyt, who won a place in the hearts of our fans not only through his consistent performances whilst wearing the Fenerbahçe shirt but also through his character, and who is now part of the coaching staff as First Assistant to our Head Coach, İsmail Kartal, was a guest on the ‘Interview of the Day’ programme broadcast on Fenerbahçe TV.

The Dutch coach, whose path has once again crossed with Fenerbahçe, stated that the meeting he had with our Chairman during his move here was very special to him. Expressing his delight at working alongside an experienced coach like İsmail Kartal, Kuyt also emphasised that the positive atmosphere created within the team is of the utmost importance.

‘I felt very proud when I received that call from our Chairman and he told me the club was considering me for a different role’

Our Assistant Manager Dirk Kuyt, who described the role he has taken on following his meeting with our Chairman as very special, said: ‘I was very happy when I heard that our club was interested in me for a different role – that is, as a coach. Because even when I left here, I knew this wasn’t a farewell and I’d gone with the thought, ‘We’ll meet again.’ I’d told our Chairman exactly that at the time. I think it’s a very special situation. I believe it’s very special to be working with the same chairman here, both as a player and as a coach. “When I received that call from our Chairman and he told me the club was considering me for a different role, I felt very proud. I’m also very happy and proud to have taken on this role. I want to help the team. I want to help this wonderful club achieve success. Because it’s been many years, but I’m very happy to be part of this team,”

I’m very happy to be part of this team

Dirk Kuyt, who previously worked with our Head Coach İsmail Kartal during his playing days at Çubuklu, stated that being part of Kartal’s coaching staff this time around fills him with pride, and went on to say:

“First of all, I must say that I’m very happy to be reunited with Coach İsmail. I worked with him during my playing days too, and to be honest, I had a great deal of respect for him even back then. The respect he has shown me fills me with pride. We have a good rapport. When I compare my playing days with now, it feels as though everything is the same; I have the same feelings – even though a lot of time has passed, my feelings from back then are exactly the same as they are now! It’s a wonderful feeling to be working with him again. It’s not just working with him, but also with his team. Because Coach İsmail is, first and foremost, a very hard-working man, but it’s not just him – everyone in his team is equally hard-working. I’m very happy to be part of this team. We’re really working very hard. We’re doing double training sessions every day. We’re also playing three friendly matches throughout the camp. So seeing how he manages the whole process really inspires great respect in me. Ultimately, everyone on the coaching staff has a specific role to play in ensuring the camp goes as smoothly as possible. As you can see from the outside, the energy is brilliant too. We’re working incredibly hard to ensure the team can reach the form they’re aiming for at the start of the season.”

We need to manage the players’ physical workload as effectively as possible

Our Assistant Coach Kuyt, who highlighted the hard work the coaching staff are putting in to get the players to their best level and the positive energy between them and the squad, said: “Under Coach Ismail’s leadership, the entire coaching staff are working extremely hard. It is important that we give the young players an opportunity to prove themselves. At the same time, we must prepare the team for our first Champions League qualifying matches, and there are players who have been actively involved in matches and training sessions during the World Cup. Therefore, we need to manage the players’ physical workload as effectively as possible. We need to tailor the physical workload to each player’s individual needs. The finer details are crucial for us to plan this correctly. We want everyone to be ready. I am very happy to be part of this coaching staff. It’s not just the coaching staff; we have our medical team and our athletic performance team. We are all working very hard together. At this stage, Coach İsmail is assigning a role to everyone. Indeed, you can see this for yourselves. I must also say that there is a very high level of energy not only amongst the players, but also amongst the staff and the technical team. Everyone is doing their very best to prepare and support the team in the best possible way,”

I can say that we’ve performed well in the majority of the matches, but we want to be perfect.

As we approach the end of the pre-season camp, the Dutch coach highlighted that the statistics from the friendly matches indicate the team is making progress, whilst also emphasising their commitment to perfection: “We’re very happy with the team’s progress. Everyone is familiar with Coach İsmail’s style of play and philosophy. The ideas he wants to implement are very clear, and this playing philosophy is exactly the right one for Fenerbahçe! Seeing the effects of this on the pitch is truly wonderful for us. We’ve played two friendly matches, and I can say that we performed well for the majority of those matches, but we want to be perfect. To achieve that, there’s still a great deal we need to do. We need to work very hard. Training sessions are crucial in this regard. We want to help the players every day. The players also need to feel that ‘success will come this way.’ If you look at the match we played the other day, we displayed a dominant performance in the first 35 minutes. We scored two goals, but we could have scored more. However, we want to control the match for the full 90 minutes and dominate the game. To achieve this, we’re training very hard every day. Yes, we’ve achieved good results in our pre-season friendlies, but we want to improve much further. There’s still a great deal we need to work on. We want to improve further and be even more successful. At this point, Coach İsmail is conveying this message very clearly. We’re doing our best to support him as effectively as possible. I can say that we’re heading in the right direction,”

I will do my very best to make this team a success

Dirk Kuyt, who said he was happy to be part of the Fenerbahçe family and that he would do his very best to succeed as part of the coaching staff, spoke as follows:

“This morning, I said to Oğuz and Milan: ‘You have a wonderful life. Enjoy every minute of it. In fact, this is the best life; you have fantastic conditions, we’re training at a good hotel on a good pitch, we have excellent facilities, and in that sense, a footballer’s life is the best.’ But as coaches, we have to get up very early in the morning to prepare. Even if some players have a rest day, another group of players is training, and we have to be working constantly. Of course, I’m never complaining about this situation. I’m very happy and grateful to be part of the Fenerbahçe Family, and I’ll do my absolute best to make this team successful because that’s what our supporters and all of us want.”

I’m still learning, and I’ll continue to learn right up until the end of my career

Our Assistant Coach Kuyt, who emphasises that as a coach he is always striving to improve himself, said: “Every footballer has an understanding of the game, but being a coach is something completely different. I’ve been on this path for about five or six years now. I’m very happy and I’ve worked hard to be successful in coaching. I’m also very happy to be working with such an experienced head coach and his team at the moment. ‘Yes, football is still football, but your role is different and you have to work very hard. I’m doing my very best to demonstrate this. As for my coaching career, I can say that I’m still learning and will continue to learn right up until the end of my career,’

I believe the same positive energy we’ve built within the team will also be present amongst our supporters.

Concluding his remarks with a message of unity and solidarity, our Assistant Manager Dirk Kuyt said, “First of all, I’d like to thank the supporters very much for the support they’ve shown. 15,000 of our supporters also came to the Topuk Yaylası training ground where we held our first training camp. It was truly wonderful! Similarly, the stands were packed during the two friendly matches we played, and they supported us. I believe this will continue throughout the season. I believe the same positive energy we’ve built within the team will also be present amongst our supporters. When we achieve this, we become an unbeatable team. I must also say this: we need our supporters at every match. Together, we can achieve and celebrate great things, and we can do this all together. Once we’ve achieved that, we’ll have plenty to celebrate together,” he concluded the interview.

Yardımcı Antrenörümüz Dirk Kuyt: Taraftarımıza her maç ihtiyacımız var. Birlikte büyük şeyler başarıp kutlayabiliriz - Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü

Officially licensed match shirts bearing the names of our new signings, Mason Greenwood, Nathan Aké and Vedat Muriqi, are now available to our fans at Fenerium stores and via Fenerium’s official online channels.

As our Fenerbahçe side continues its preparations for the 2026–2027 season, gearing up for the new campaign with the key signings it has added to its squad, the officially licensed match shirts bearing the names of our new signings have also gone on sale.

As in every season, Fenerium is once again sharing the excitement of our team with our supporters this season, continuing to offer the opportunity to support our club through its officially licensed merchandise. The interest shown in our licensed products remains one of the most important factors supporting Fenerbahçe on its path to achieving its goals.

The standout transfers of the new season – Mason Greenwood’s number 11, Nathan Aké’s number 15 and Vedat Muriqi’s number 19 shirts – feature among the season’s most prominent licensed products; our supporters will be able to proudly display their loyalty to the team in the stands, in their daily lives and in every aspect of their lives.

Born on 1 October 2001 in Bradford, England, Mason Greenwood began his football career in Manchester United’s youth academy.

The 1.81 cm-tall player, who spent three seasons with the English club after being promoted to the first team in 2018, scored 35 goals and provided 12 assists in 129 appearances for the Red Devils.

Spending the 2023–2024 season on loan at Getafe, a La Liga side in Spain, Mason Greenwood recorded 10 goals and 6 assists in 36 matches.

Greenwood, who moved to Marseille of France’s Ligue 1 in August 2024, spent two seasons with the blue-and-whites.

In his first season, Mason Greenwood scored 22 goals and provided 5 assists in 36 matches; in his second season, he directly contributed to 37 goals with 26 goals and 11 assists across 45 matches.

Mason Greenwood, who represented England at youth level, also earned one cap for the senior national team.

The 24-year-old footballer, capable of playing in any position on the front line, stood out particularly for his successful performances on the right wing.

Mason Greenwood’s star shone brightly thanks to his speed, ability to beat his man, assists and finishing ability, all of which he utilises effectively with both feet.

Fenerbahçe’s new signing, Nathan Aké, who joined our team’s training camp in Austria the other day, spoke to Fenerbahçe TV whilst there.

The Dutch centre-back, who spoke about his physical attributes and playing style, as well as the transfer process, also spoke highly of our supporters. The experienced player, who outlined his goals for the new season and thanked his team-mates and the coaching staff for their very warm welcome, said:

“I’m happy and very excited. My first few days have gone very well. I’ve been made to feel very welcome by everyone here. They asked about my family and talked about life in Istanbul. I also had a chat with our manager. He asked me about my current situation and told me about his plans. We’ll be discussing more of that in due course. I hope we’ll have a great season together and I can’t wait for it.

The club had shown an interest in me beforehand, and the transfer process moved very quickly. The offer I received here really caught my attention. I spoke to Ederson straight away, and he told me this is a fantastic club. He also mentioned that there’s a great atmosphere at our stadium and that our fans are brilliant. Hearing that really excited me. We then completed the transfer formalities with Manchester City very quickly. Coming here was an easy decision for me.

I had eight days’ leave after my last match. I tried to relax during that time. After such a long season, you really need to relax, especially mentally. I think I’ll be in good physical shape after a few training sessions. I don’t think it will take me long to be ready because, as I mentioned, it hasn’t been that long since my last match. I’ll be fully ready within a few days.

It’s difficult for me to talk about myself, but I can say that I’m always a highly focused defender. Of course, my primary role is to defend and help organise the defensive line. I also try to be smart when I’m on the ball. Defensively, the most important thing I try to do is read the game. Being able to anticipate when to make a move and when not to, and reading the game, are my strengths. Communication in the defensive line is vital. You need to have a very good rapport with your teammates on the pitch when defending. This applies to all players, but it’s particularly important for the defensive line. The more you play together, the better you get to know each other, and the better your communication becomes. Sometimes there isn’t time to communicate on the pitch, so if you know how the player next to you plays, you can react accordingly. The better you know your team-mates on the pitch, the easier things become for you. This communication will improve over time as we play more.

Every player has a different style, but I prefer to watch the opposition players before matches. That way, you can see their style and their strengths. I make a point of doing this.

All my team-mates are talking about how packed our stadium will be and how passionate our fans are, and they’re already preparing me for our first home match. I’ve also seen some clips on social media. I’m really excited. I can’t wait to experience it live. I’ve received loads of ‘welcome’ messages on social media, especially since my transfer. Seeing these messages made me feel right at home. So I’d like to say a big thank you for that.

I see the new season as a major challenge. I know our team hasn’t been champions for many years, and we’ve also been absent from the Champions League for quite some time. Our primary aim is to qualify for the Champions League, and we’ll do everything in our power to achieve that. After that, we’ll be competing in four competitions, and Fenerbahçe will fight to win in every competition we’re involved in. We’ll do our very best. We’ll take it one match at a time. Our immediate focus is on the qualifying rounds. After that, we’ll aim for a strong start to the league and build on that.

I would like to thank our supporters very much for their support. I hope they will continue to stand behind us. We will always give our very best. I hope we will have a great season together and we will fight for that."

Appearing on the ‘Interview of the Day’ programme, the successful full-back shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics—including the pre-season training camp, the spirit of unity and camaraderie within the team, and Head Coach İsmail Kartal’s playing philosophy—and emphasised that they possess all the elements needed to succeed.

Archie Brown began the interview by stating that he had continued his training in the gym immediately after last season and had been training non-stop to be ready for the new season, saying, “First of all, thank you for inviting me to this interview. To be honest, I didn’t take a break from my training at all during this holiday period. I kept up my training and workouts constantly. It’s also worth noting that for a footballer, getting back into shape two weeks after the league has finished – or after a two-week break – can be difficult. That’s why I carried on training during the holidays. I did my fitness work in the gym, went for runs and cycled, and kept up my training. I’d say it was just a mental breather, but physically I didn’t let up at all. I think I arrived fully prepared for this pre-season camp as we kick off the season,”

Following the conclusion of the two-week pre-season preparation period ahead of the new season, Brown had the following to say about the training camp:

“I’d like to say that, overall, we’ve had a good training camp. Topuk Yaylası and then Austria – I’d say it was a good mix. When starting a new season, the situation is usually like this: we always begin with running and do running exercises. But we’re fortunate that, with our new manager, we’re also doing a lot of team-based drills. So I think we’re lucky in that respect, and that’s something I’m pleased about. Of course, we’re also touching on the tactical aspects bit by bit with our manager, and he’s explaining his tactical approach to us. We’re continuing our work in that regard as well. After all, it makes sense for us to do this; we’ll be playing with a new system and a new philosophy of the game. So, in my view, it’s very valuable that we’re addressing these tactical aspects and working on them. So far, I think the atmosphere and environment have been good. I can say we’ve had a good pre-season. There are players among us who have returned from their national teams, and my Turkish teammates have also returned from theirs. Generally speaking, I can say that we’ve had a good pre-season, that everything has gone according to plan so far, and that we’re making good progress.”

Archie Brown outlined his thoughts on our Head Coach, İsmail Kartal, as follows:

“As far as our manager is concerned, I can say this: the ideas he has conveyed to us are very clear and very precise! Consequently, when he explains his ideas, he does so clearly, which makes the situation even clearer. As players, we understand exactly what roles we will play, which responsibilities we will take on… naturally, whatever he wants to convey in this regard, we as players understand very clearly. In fact, I think that right from the start of working with him over the past few weeks, we’ve been able to understand what he wants and what he expects of us. At the very least, regarding our playing identity, our coach has clearly communicated to us exactly what we need to do. This, of course, creates a positive atmosphere.”

The successful full-back, highlighting how training camps contribute to a sense of unity and camaraderie within the team, said: “In my view, training camps are very important. Because you end up spending a great deal of time with your team-mates. And when you go to Europe or elsewhere, and you’re constantly on the move, as I’ve said, you spend a great deal of time together. I place great importance on this and believe it is crucial; the more camaraderie and communication you foster off the pitch, and the more you can sustain and strengthen that communication, the closer it brings you together on the pitch. Therefore, I believe pre-season training camps are very effective and beneficial,”

Speaking on the importance of being able to make decisions both offensively and defensively, our footballer said, “As an attacking full-back, the most important thing is that when you move into the final third or contribute to your team offensively, you create an advantage for your team in that area, do positive things and are able to get back. It’s very important to regain your position after moving forward. Having that ability, possessing that capacity, is, in my view, very important. Similarly, speaking in offensive terms, when you push forward, you need to create opportunities or assist your team in that regard. I believe I am a player of that calibre. I can say that connections are very important when I move into the final third. Therefore, you need to be able to make those connections. I also place great importance on this: making decisions, both defensively and offensively, is absolutely vital. You can do well when you get into the final third, but you need to make the right decisions effectively: knowing when to cross, when to pass, and when to shoot – you need to execute these very well and make those decisions effectively. Consequently, I’m also working on the offensive side of things. Of course, this decision-making is just as important in defence. Because a mistake you make doesn’t have the same consequences as a mistake made by a centre-forward. After all, if you, as a full-back or defender, make a mistake at the back and the opposition are well prepared for it, you could be punished. Consequently, decision-making is also vital in defence. Your communication with the back four is crucial, and your communication with the midfield is equally crucial. That’s why I can’t give you a single reason, but in general, making the right decisions is the most important thing!”

Archie Brown, who explained his desire to perform even better in the new season despite his 5 goals and 7 assists last season by saying, “I want to improve all my statistics,” shared his expectations for the new season as follows:

“As for the new season, I can say this: personally, I’m excited. I must emphasise that this is a huge club. Fenerbahçe is one of the world’s greatest clubs! Therefore, the adaptation period is very important for new players. For me, that adaptation period is over and this is now my second season. I know the league, I know the team, and I know my teammates better. I therefore believe this adaptation process has been beneficial for me. I’d like to emphasise this once again: I’m excited. If we do the things we’ve been talking about, if we act with humility as a team, if we can achieve what we set out to do as a team, and if we can enjoy our football – which, in my view, is the most important thing – then we can win trophies. A club of Fenerbahçe’s calibre – such a great club – should be able to compete for every trophy and achieve this, because that is the kind of club Fenerbahçe is. I hope that, looking back on the date we’ve mentioned, we’ll be able to say, ‘We talked about these things and they came to pass.’ I hope we’ll be able to say, ‘We managed to put this into practice; we achieved it.’ But of course, to achieve these things, you need to work very hard.”

Concluding his remarks by delivering important messages to our supporters, Archie Brown said, “My message to the supporters is this: we want them to stand by us constantly, support us and be patient. They should believe in us because, with belief, we can make anything possible. We have a fantastic team, and alongside that, we have a fantastic manager, a fantastic stadium and fantastic supporters. Therefore, we have all the elements needed to succeed. As always, my request to them is that they support us. We are ready for the new season.”

As part of their preparations for the new season, our Fenerbahçe team, currently on a training camp in Austria, held their first session of the day.

The training session, led by our Head Coach İsmail Kartal, began with core exercises in the gym. The team then carried out warm-up, agility and passing drills, before concluding the session with small-sided games in a confined area.

Meanwhile, the players who featured in last night’s match against Admira Wacker completed their training with recovery exercises.

Our football team will continue their preparations with the day’s second training session, which is scheduled for this evening.

Representing our Club at the fixture draw for the 2026–2027 season, held at the TFF Riva Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Centre, our Deputy Chairman Barış Göktürk and Board Member Selim Kosif addressed the press.

Explaining the requests they had made prior to the fixture draw and emphasising that it was a fair draw, our Deputy Chairman Barış Göktürk said, “We are here representing Fenerbahçe Sports Club alongside our Board Member Selim Kosif. It is a fair fixture draw. We had previously made some requests to the federation. We had pointed out that the number two ball in the fixture draw offered certain advantages that constituted unfair competition. We had specifically highlighted five criteria in this algorithm that needed to be changed. Following these discussions, on the day of the trial draw, in the presence of the President of the Federation, the Vice-President of the Federation and all the other clubs present here, we voiced our objections to this algorithm. We stated that one ball had significant advantages over the other. We explained what these entailed in terms of UEFA criteria. We expressed that this algorithm needed to be corrected and that it needed to be balanced. To put it in European terms, we explained that it needed to ensure parity in the difficulty index. And here, our appeal was deemed valid. Other clubs, too, during the consultation held here – last week, a representative of Galatasaray Sports Club, a member of the board of directors, was also present – openly acknowledged that one ball holds an advantage over the other. We explained that these must be standardised, and that neither Fenerbahçe nor any other club should gain any privilege on the pitch that undermines fair competition.

Our Federation President stated, ‘If such an injustice were to arise here, I would draw all 18 balls together.’ Thank you very much. In fact, following our objection during the trial run that the algorithm was incorrect, all 18 balls were drawn together. Subsequently, as this parity—that is, the difficulty index—was levelled out, our objection was resolved, and the Champions League draw, where fair competition was ensured, transitioned to a two-ball draw. We have drawn the balls fairly, in a manner where the advantages granted to our rivals over the past four years have not been extended to us or to anyone else. I had even said before arriving that I would draw number two, at least to secure the derby advantage. That is the only advantage; there are no others. It was meant to be; luck was on our side. We would like to thank all our clubs, the Football Association and the federation for the fact that, due to the standardisation of the difficulty index by the federation, fair competition was discussed and revised transparently in the presence of all clubs here, and for the algorithm being adjusted to the correct settings. I hope this year will be one where the fixture list is not the main topic of discussion, where fair competition is reflected on the pitch, and where success and performance take centre stage,”

Our Board Member Selim Kosif added, “There is nothing to add to what Mr Barış has said, as he has conveyed the club’s full thoughts to you. This year, God willing, we want to unite—both as supporters and as the management—to become champions. That is why we are here. And we will achieve this.”

In response to a question regarding the statement made by Metin Öztürk, Vice-President of Galatasaray Sports Club, our Deputy Chairman Barış Göktürk replied, “We respect our rivals. We will continue to respect our rivals. As long as we are competing fairly, we do not wish to experience any discord with our rivals.”