Fenerbahçe aims for win against Slavia Prague

ISTANBUL

Fenerbahçe will look to secure its first victory of the UEFA Champions League campaign on Oct. 20 when it hosts Slavia Prague at Chobani Stadium.

Both sides are desperate for three points to jumpstart their European ambitions. Fenerbahçe currently holds one point after two group-stage matches, while the Czech side sits near the bottom of the table with zero points following consecutive defeats.

Fenerbahçe coach İsmail Kartal anticipates a grueling, physical challenge against a Slavia squad following last week’s grueling 6-0 loss at Aston Villa.

“We have watched the Prague team. They are a tough team that applies man-to-man pressure everywhere on the pitch,” Kartal said. “We will try to do our best.”

With a congested fixture list and a looming Intercontinental Derby against Galatasaray, Kartal acknowledged the need for careful squad rotation.

“Since we are playing a match every three days, we are resting some of our players. We need to determine the load distribution well,” he added.

“We will analyze the opponent tomorrow. After that, we will focus on the derby.”

The Turkish club will definitely be without star attacker Marco Asensio. Team doctor Ahmet Kulduk announced that an MRI revealed a cartilage lesion in Asensio’s knee. He is scheduled for surgery next week and is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.

Despite the injury setback, squad morale remains high following recent domestic success. Striker Romelu Lukaku, who scored his first goal for the club in a 3-0 home win against Alanyaspor over the weekend, emphasized the importance of carrying that momentum into European play.

“The victory we got was important for our self-confidence,” Lukaku said. “We want to get our first win in the Champions League match we are going to play.”