In the 23rd week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Fenerbahçe hosted Kasımpaşa, with head coach Domenico Tedesco making significant changes to his lineup compared to the last UEFA Europa League match against Nottingham Forest. Due to injury, Milan Skriniar was unavailable, and Tedesco implemented five changes in total, one of which was mandatory. Notably, he left Mert Müldür, N’Golo Kante, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, and Sidiki Cherif on the bench while bringing in Çağlar Söyüncü, Levent Mercan, İsmail Yüksek, Anthony Musaba, and Dorgeles Nene to the starting eleven.
Levent Mercan made a notable return to the starting lineup for the first time in about a month and a half after recovering from injury that had sidelined him since the Super Cup match against Galatasaray. Mercan was keen to show his skill, having previously made a comeback in the Nottingham Forest match as a substitute. Anthony Musaba also returned to the starting eleven after being on the bench for the last two matches and missing the Nottingham Forest game due to not being on the UEFA list.
In the strike position, Tedesco opted for Anderson Talisca, moving away from Cherif who had played as a forward against Nottingham Forest. The decision to start Talisca aimed to bolster the team’s attacking efforts against Kasımpaşa.
As the team prepares for the final stretch of the season, Fenerbahçe management shared a message of encouragement with supporters, promoting a spirit of optimism regarding the title race. A special choreography reading “İNAN FENERBAHÇE” was displayed ahead of the match, accompanied by Edip Akbayram’s song “Güzel günler göreceğiz” played through the stadium speakers.
Additionally, Fenerbahçe’s Spanish star Marco Asensio was honored with an award for scoring the best goal in the league for January before the match, with the plaque award presented in front of fans. Some players, including Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Mert Müldür, and Yiğit Efe Demir, visited the wheelchair-accessible tribune prior to the game, where they interacted with visually impaired fans, distributed flowers, and took photos together.
This combination of team adjustments, fan engagement, and management’s supportive messages reflects the commitment of Fenerbahçe to their fans and the pursuit of success in the league. The optimistic atmosphere both on and off the pitch signifies a hopeful outlook for the rest of the season.