Fenerbahçe SK football director Oğuz Çetin has made strong statements against the Turkish Football Federation. Çetin reacted to the TFF's rejection of a match postponement request ahead of the Champions League play-offs, declaring the club will make no further demands from the institution. According to a report by Fanatik, he made these comments this week.
Fenerbahçe drew 1-1 with Lyon in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round at home. Speaking after the match, Oğuz Çetin highlighted the team's physically demanding period. He recalled the tight schedule, with a match against Gençlerbirliği on August 15th after the Sturm Graz game, followed by the Lyon match on August 18th. He stressed this congested fixture list created a major handicap for team preparation and travel. Çetin said, "We made one request. The TFF gave a negative response to our important reasons."
Why will they not request anything from the TFF?
Oğuz Çetin clearly stated that after this decision, it would not be right to make another request from the TFF. He announced that together with President Ali Koç, they are resolved on this matter and will not request any postponements henceforth. Instead, he said they will compete by trusting their own strength and belief. Çetin stated, "With our belief in ourselves, we will play and win against Konyaspor, then immediately go and advance past Lyon in the match. We are determined." This situation once again highlights the pressure the Süper Lig fixtures schedule puts on teams.
What is Marco Asensio's fitness status?
Commenting on the transfer window and players' physical condition, Çetin gave special emphasis to Marco Asensio. He said Asensio, who was out for a long time due to injury last season, is gradually improving his fitness graph. Çetin used the words, "Asensio is our most valuable player, our indispensable player. He is also İsmail Kartal's indispensable player, but every player needs time." He added that the same applies to Romelu Lukaku, who will also gradually find his match rhythm. He reminded that players like Nene, returning after surgery, are going through a similar process.
How is the team's overall physical preparation?
Çetin acknowledged a general physical preparation process due to some players starting the season late. He noted these weeks are tough for the players and there could be a painful period until they reach full fitness. He implied the squad depth, visible on the squad page, is important during this process. Evaluating the Lyon draw, he added there is a period that needs to be covered to be more effective in terms of play. He underlined they need to be better in the final third and must get the result in such matches.
What is next for Fenerbahçe SK?
Fenerbahçe SK will now focus on the Süper Lig match against Konyaspor. Afterwards, they will travel to face Lyon away in the Champions League play-off round and fight to advance. Çetin reiterated their high belief for this round. The club continues its work for every area until the transfer window closes on September 2nd. All these developments point to a critical period for the league race, which can be followed on the standings page, and European objectives. The team will try to cope with a demanding schedule both domestically and in Europe.
