02.12.2025 00:10
In the 14th week of the Trendyol Super League, Fenerbahçe's head coach Domenico Tedesco made statements after the match in which they drew 1-1 with Galatasaray. Tedesco expressed that he disagrees with the claims about Galatasaray's missing players, stating, "I do not agree with the notion that Galatasaray was missing players. We also didn't have Sebastian. He is an important player for me because he contributes to the team in every match. If Szymanski had played, I believe we could have won the match; that's my opinion."
Fenerbahçe's head coach Domenico Tedesco made a statement at the press conference after the match where they drew 1-1 against Galatasaray in the 14th week of the Trendyol Super League.
'WE TRIED LONG BALLS' Tedesco expressed that they preferred to start the game in a controlled manner, saying, "The first half was 50-50. Both teams played with long balls. We played long, which is not normally what we do, but we need to learn from our mistakes. We started poorly in the Beşiktaş match and conceded 2 goals from individual errors. In that match, we were trying to play a high-risk game, and as a result, we conceded 2 goals. Today, we wanted to see Galatasaray defending in their own penalty area with our game in the first 10 minutes. We tried long balls to achieve this. Our plan was to return to our normal game after the 15th minute. Instead of being shocked during the match, we wanted to shock the opponent for a psychological advantage. Our players did that. We sent the balls we needed to play behind into the duel areas." he stated.
'SUCH THINGS CAN HAPPEN' Highlighting that they conceded a goal due to Sane's individual skill, the young coach continued:
"In such matches, it becomes difficult when you fall behind. Galatasaray is used to high-level matches. Once they take the lead, they waste time; they know how to play these kinds of matches. I am proud of my team. We do not want to fall behind, so we played simply at the beginning of the game, playing vertical balls. The most important thing is how we play; it is important that our game makes us feel comfortable. Looking at the team from 8 weeks ago, I could not even imagine the team playing at this level. No one deserved to score in the first half of this match. We also had a disallowed goal. Such things can happen. Life is like this; we need to continue on our path. I would also like us to take the lead in matches, but it is not the end of the world. What we need to do is stick to our plan."
'I DON'T REMEMBER THEM CREATING POSITIONS' The 40-year-old coach explained that Galatasaray did not create many chances, saying, "Actually, we imposed our game on them; Galatasaray changed their game. I do not remember Galatasaray creating many chances. They did not create any chances except for Sane's shot. We defended both Osimhen and their long balls well. Barış is also a good player, and we defended him well too. Honestly, looking at the match, I think it was 50-50. The team that scores the first goal obviously gains an advantage. Looking at the overall team, I think we did a good job." he evaluated.
'I CAN'T CHANGE THEIR FALLING DOWN' In response to a journalist's question about Galatasaray wasting time, Tedesco said:
"Falling down and wasting time is something allowed in football. I told my players, 'this is actually a good thing because it means they care about us.' Galatasaray played this way because they cared about Fenerbahçe. I don't think they cared about us to this extent 8 weeks ago. I do not make comparisons when we look at the matches between the two teams before. We want to win all the matches. Sometimes you need to start simply in a match; that was my plan too. You should not see this information as against the team; if you do, I will not state it so openly again. Very few coaches clearly explain their plans. When selecting players for today, we chose players who would fit the plan. Youssef's (En-Nesyri) runs behind were a profile that fit our plan. I cannot change their falling down. I do not waste time thinking about these things. We could have won today's match; this is a good sign for us. My players and I are disappointed that we drew. This is also a good sign."
'I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE CLAIMS ABOUT GALATASARAY'S ABSENCES' Tedesco stated that he does not agree with the claims about Galatasaray's absences, saying:
"I do not agree with the claims about Galatasaray's absences. We also did not have Sebastian. He is an important player for me because he contributes to the team in every match. If Szymanski had played, I think we could have won the match; this is my opinion. I do not like this situation; when we look at it, they are playing with a full squad. When I first came here, Duran and Alvarez were out for long weeks. I have never said anything about these. You say the opponent's players were absent in a big derby. This is not a pleasant situation for me. The most important thing is the team itself and the players. What matters here is not Tedesco or another coach. I am doing my job; I love my team, my players, and all the staff. I feel like I have known the Turkish staff here for 8 years, not just 85 days. Playing matches in this stadium is a great advantage for us. In such an atmosphere, we can beat anyone. I am trying to instill this feeling in the team. The healthy method is to progress step by step. We continue to work by building on it. The match against Başakşehir after this derby will be a very difficult match.