18.08.2026 21:20
Fenerbahçe head coach İsmail Kartal spoke before the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round match against Lyon. Commenting on Asensio remaining on the bench, the successful coach said, "We evaluate our players as a whole. We don't have just Asensio; we have 24 valuable players. This match required this, so we made this decision."
Fenerbahce will host France's Olympique Lyon in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round. Ahead of the match, Fenerbahce head coach Ismail Kartal made statements.
"WE FOLLOWED THEM CONTINUOUSLY"
Speaking about the match, Ismail Kartal said, "We have been preparing for a few days. Regarding our opponent... Actually, we watched Lyon even before we got past Sturm Graz. We followed them continuously. Lyon is an organized team, they pass well, and they attack in an organized manner. We are aware of this, and as a team, we have worked in this direction."
"WE PREPARED WELL"
Continuing his words, Ismail Kartal stated, "We had a short training session on what we will do against the opponent. We prepared with just one training session. My players know what they will do. Together with my players, we are concentrated as a team and prepared well."
"WE WANT AN ADVANTAGEOUS SCORE"
The experienced coach also highlighted the fan support, saying, "We know the energy of our fans, that they will support us wholeheartedly from the beginning to the end of the match. We must play this match together with our fans. With good football and a good fight, we want an advantageous score before the return leg."
"NOT ONLY ASENSIO..."
Speaking about Asensio and Lukaku remaining on the bench, Ismail Kartal said, "We evaluate our players as a whole. It is not only Asensio; we have 24 valuable players. This match required this, and we made such a decision."