Fenerbahçe SK suffered a 2-1 defeat against Beşiktaş in week 4 of the Süper Lig. This derby loss generated significant coverage in the European press, with the altercation between Milan Skriniar and Dusan Vlahovic becoming a major talking point.
How did the European press cover the derby?
According to a roundup by Hürriyet Spor, Spanish newspaper Marca described the match as 'Vlahovic's comeback'. The paper wrote that the Serbian striker scored in his second consecutive game to complete Beşiktaş's victory. Italian outlet La Gazette dello Sport likened the clash to an 'Italian derby', stating that former Inter player Skriniar and former Juventus player Vlahovic were the match's standout figures, both positively and negatively. Corriere dello Sport gave ample space to the verbal clash between the two that started in midfield and escalated. Tuttomercatoweb praised Vlahovic's performance, noting his continued scoring form in Turkey. Fenerbahçe currently sits fourth in the league with 6 points, trailing leaders Galatasaray by 4 points.
How were the referee's decisions assessed?
Decisions made and not made by referee Halil Umut Meler during the derby were analyzed by former referees. Speaking to Hürriyet Spor, Deniz Çoban said that for the penalty incident Fenerbahçe appealed for, he saw the ball hit a non-offending area. Çoban stated he respected the referee's decision to play on. Bülent Yıldırım also commented on the same incident, saying 'I cannot be sure if it hit the offending area'. Regarding Beşiktaş's disallowed goal, Çoban thought the referee made a major error by blowing his whistle. Yıldırım said he did not agree with the whistle being blown. Both former referees agreed that the official lost control during the Skriniar-Vlahovic altercation and should have shown at least two yellow cards.
How did Hürriyet columnists evaluate the match?
Hürriyet newspaper's sports columnists assessed the derby in their pieces. Güntekin Onay wrote that Beşiktaş won due to a physical and gameplay advantage. According to Onay, Fenerbahçe dropped off noticeably in the second half and substitutions did not change this situation. The columnist argued that while Fenerbahçe has good players on paper, the squad lacks a complementary structure. Onay added that Beşiktaş's Junior Olaitan made the difference with his ball-winning, running, and passes behind the defense. You can check Fenerbahçe's season statistics on our stats page.
What is Fenerbahçe's current league situation?
Fenerbahçe has collected 6 points from two wins and two losses after four matches. The team's form in its last five official matches is unbeaten: 3 wins and 2 draws. The Yellow-Navy Blues have scored 8 goals so far this season while conceding 6. Having won its last league match 4-2 against Konyaspor on 22 August 2026, Fenerbahçe is 4 points behind the leader in the title race. The team's next league fixture is away against 7th-placed Rizespor on 11 October 2026. Visit our fixtures page for all schedule details.
