22.07.2026 08:30
Fenerbahçe head coach İsmail Kartal made statements after the Gornik Zabrze match. Speaking about Fred, whose future at the team is a matter of curiosity, the experienced coach said, "I started with Bartuğ because he is ahead of the other players right now. Fred is a characterful player who will take on any role. He will be with us for the rest of the season."
In the first match of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, Fenerbahçe hosted Polish team Gornik Zabrze and won 1-0. Coach İsmail Kartal stated that they played a superior game and deserved the victory. Kartal made statements at the press conference held after the match at Chobani Stadium.
"WE PLAYED A SUPERIOR GAME" İsmail Kartal noted that Gornik Zabrze is a disciplined team that waits in the second zone, defends well, and plays a transition game. He said, "We dominated the game. We could have won by a larger margin. We deserved to win. We played a very superior game. The opposing team took 2 shots in the match, one on target. Despite having 80% ball possession, I hoped we would find the second and third goals and finish the game comfortably. I congratulate my players for playing good football."
"HE WILL BE WITH US" İsmail Kartal, answering questions about Jayden Oosterwolde, Bartuğ Elmaz, Fred, Vedat Muric, and Nelson Semedo, shared the following views:
"Oosterwolde played left back after a long time. He didn't contribute much to the attack. He played well in defense. I moved him to center back in the second half. These choices will vary depending on the opponent during the season. Bartuğ is a young player. He worked hard in camp. He deserved it. I rewarded him by letting him play. There will be a healthy competition in that area. Since Bartuğ is currently ahead of other players, I started with him. Fred is a player with character who will take on any role. He will be with us for the rest of the season. Vedat Muric is a strong striker. He makes connections, applies pressure, and is effective in aerial duels. Talisca is a technical player. Since Vedat wasn't available, we used Talisca in that area, and he did his best today. Semedo arrived just 4 days ago. I spoke with him. He said he took 4 days off to prepare for playing in this match and got himself ready for the game. His performance in training was positive. He put in a good performance."
"THE FOREIGN PLAYER RULE MUST CHANGE" İsmail Kartal noted that the current foreign player rule (10+4) applied in the Trendyol Süper Lig needs to change.
Responding to a question about the high number of foreign players, Kartal said, "Perhaps the rule may change. It could be 12+2. 14-15 clubs want the rule to change. This is not normal. It needs to change. We are doing the math. There will be very difficult decisions for us as well. Hopefully, this rule will change so everyone can breathe easier."