Sports writers evaluate Turkish teams' European matches: 'It's a shame'

Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Beşiktaş, representing our country in the UEFA Europa League, failed to achieve the desired results in the matches played during the second week of the league.

Galatasaray, taking the field in the first match of the day, drew 2-2 away against RFS after leading 2-0. Our other representative Fenerbahçe drew 1-1 with Twente, while Beşiktaş was defeated 3-1 at home by Frankfurt.

Sports writers evaluated these matches played by our representatives.

Missing pieces for two fronts - Ali Ece

After the trial-and-error fiasco in the Amsterdam away match, coach Giovanni returned the 2024-25 model Beşiktaş to its factory settings, and in the last match in the Süper Lig, Beşiktaş's play was both effective and clearly reflected on the scoreboard. Yesterday, Beşiktaş started the match effectively in the first half with Rafa Silva, a hybrid of a deep-lying playmaker and a second striker, positioned in front of the central midfield duo of Gedson and Ndour.

With his substitutions in the 62nd minute, coach Giovanni was forced to move Rafa Silva, the only player in his squad who is both fast and capable of easily beating opponents, to the right wing. Although Beşiktaş continued to press, unfortunately, it was Frankfurt that scored again. This style of play is enough to be successful in the Süper Lig, but unfortunately, this squad is lacking for success on two fronts! (FANATİK)

Quality is needed at this level - Ali Gültiken |

The European level demands different disciplines. We have encountered the same situations many times while playing these types of matches for years. For Beşiktaş, a repeat of this occurred last night. When you step onto the European stage, you need higher levels of quality in team defense. In these matches, you need to defend with the right logic not only when the opponent has the ball, but also when you have it. Errors in defensive transition when losing the ball while in possession and pushing forward result in goals conceded.

There are definitely lessons to be learned from the match. Considering that Beşiktaş's squad this season is still in a development process, we can perhaps put these events into a reasonable context. Even though they fell behind in the score, the team did not lose its desire to play and its ambition to make a comeback. The European process is not going as well as Beşiktaş would like in terms of results, but the team's energy is moving in the right direction, independent of the score. (SABAH)

The realities of Kartal - Attila Gökçe |

Two goals that couldn't be prevented... A missed penalty. A match that seemed to be slipping away. Yet, the flow of the match changed. That stagnant, ineffective, and unproductive Beşiktaş tried to rebuild the game with an incredible reaction, take ownership of the match, and increase their scoring chances. They increased their cooperation with one another. They attacked from the center and the wings. At the very least, they won back the hearts of their fans. The support from the stands during the halftime break was a sign of this. If they hadn't conceded that third goal, they could have been more hopeful. Especially considering they couldn't score a single goal from at least nine corners taken...

Nevertheless, one must respect the efforts of Rafa Silva, Gedson, Immobile, Rashica, and the substitutes Semih and Onur, and appreciate Masuaku, the scorer of the only goal. Scoring the goal in the final minutes, as the match was ending, was still not enough for consolation. In my opinion, Bronckhorst was late in bringing on Semih and Onur, sending Salih into the game, and especially in giving Mustafa Hekimoğlu a role in the 85th minute. (MİLLİYET)

If Ersin and Santos had swapped places, Beşiktaş could have taken 3 points - Güntekin Onay |

Did Beşiktaş play poorly? No. When the score was 2-0, they found numerous opportunities to get back into the game. However, Frankfurt's goalkeeper Santos had an extraordinary match. In every position Beşiktaş created, they found Frankfurt's goalkeeper Santos in their way. Starting with the penalty, the Frankfurt goalkeeper seemed as if he had sworn an oath not to concede a goal. If Beşiktaş could have brought the score to 2-1, they were playing the kind of football that could have turned the match around with that morale, motivation, and the support of the crowd. However, unfortunately, goalkeeper Ersin did not inspire any confidence yesterday. Every ball that came toward his goal, unfortunately, resulted in a goal. (HÜRRİYET)

Do not underestimate the draw - Faik Çetiner |

The inability of Szymanski and Fred to contribute to the game, combined with the lack of production from the wings, put offensive football in trouble. With no crosses coming from the flanks, En-Nesyri was left helpless.

Fenerbahçe was the side chasing the goal in the final stretch, but failing to find it, they had to settle for 1 point. A point earned away from home in the Europa League should not be underestimated. For now, the march toward the goal continues. If you ask where this march will lead, I would say that is a question only Mourinho can answer. (FANATİK)

A mix of physics, chemistry, and geometry - Halil Özer |

The entry of İsmail and Maximin into the game suddenly changed the shape of everything. But there is this: the most important event that needs to be discussed, not just of this match but of this entire night, took place in this game. Ambramat's assist...

With a formula that was a mix of physics, geometry, and chemistry, he delivered such a pass that it is hard to believe. If Tadic hadn't converted this assist into a goal, he would likely have had to apologize to this player for the entire season. Of course, Tadic is a different kind of player. He made such a beautiful touch; it was truly the work of a master. And my brother Tadic, how did you sense that the ball was going to come there? (MİLLİYET)

I say 'well done' to the defense - Gürcan Bilgiç |

We watched a match that would fall apart no matter how you look at it. The Twente team wiped Mourinho's Fenerbahçe off the pitch. They were superior on both sides; they were getting what they wanted both tactically and physically. They established pressure and never let up. They wove across the field, chasing the ball and positions without letting them breathe.

Pay attention to Twente's weekend match, as they played with extra ambition to beat Mourinho's team. I say 'well done' to the Fenerbahçe defense, including Amrabat. The result; it was a match that shouldn't have been lost, and it wasn't lost… (SABAH)

The Truths... - Emre Bol |

Actually, the squad that took the field was the same squad I would have fielded in the league if I were the coach. However, I do not think this is a group of players that should accept the game so deep and defend "only" this much. Mourinho, please do not think of your team as a defensive team. We will wait and see; the point earned away at Twente in the Netherlands will be the point that gets Fenerbahçe out of the group stage. We did not drop points to a village team; we dropped them to a team with a footballing tradition! From now on, the 6 points to be earned at Kadıköy will carry Fenerbahçe to the next round in the UEFA Europa League. The hard part is over, only a little remains. (FOTOMAÇ)

Galatasaray's football is problematic - Osman Şenher |

Last night, the Rigas Skola team was not a side that could challenge you in any way, shape, or form. This time, you take a two-goal lead, and while searching for a third, you concede a goal due to defensive errors. Then you concede another, and it is in this goal that the lackadaisical attitude of the yellow-reds' defense becomes apparent. The opponent shoots, Günay saves, the ball comes back, there are four Galatasaray players there, the Latvian team shoots again and finds the back of the net, and our players do not intervene. There is no such thing as such a lack of discipline. (MİLLİYET)

Coach, get rid of your obsessions - Levent Tüzemen |

Unfortunately, Okan Buruk is making mistakes in reading the game and deciding which player to substitute. Either his assistants are not helping, or Coach Okan is not listening to his assistants' warnings. From the beginning of the match, Kaan was playing like a tank at right-back. In the second half, Rigas attacked from the right twice, and Abdülkerim prevented both. The goal came on the third attack. After the score became 2-2, Okan Buruk took Kaan out of the game. As a coach, you should have made this change much earlier. Barış Alper is out of form; he is not at his former strength. Will Rigas, who scored two goals against Galatasaray, be able to score two goals against any team in the remaining 6 matches? Coach Okan; do not make statements like "The responsibility is mine" now, because you are not mentally in form either. When Abdülkerim comes out, Berkan cannot be a center-back when Nelsson is available. Yusuf does not come in for Torreira. Get rid of your obsessions now.. Act with your mind, not your emotions.. (SABAH)

Shut down after the 35th minute! - Bülent Timurlenk |

Just like in the Galatasaray-Kasımpaşa match last night, they shut down after the 35th minute. Unfortunately, the trio of Davinson, Sara, and Yunus could not carry this team, in which Barış Alper Yılmaz, Icardi, Mertens, and surprisingly even Torreira had no energy left to stand. Okan Buruk's timing and choices for substitutions are once again highly debatable. There is neither a description nor an explanation for the football played in the second halves of the last two matches by this squad, including its manager, which had won by scoring three goals each against Fenerbahçe and PAOK. (SABAH)

It's a shame for Galatasaray! - Oğuz Dizer |

Listen, friends; you know that the opponent's total cost doesn't even equal that of a single Galatasaray player, right? There is a serious state of indiscipline glaring in the Galatasaray team, I am warning you. Get your act together! You have no right to waste the efforts of Davinson, Yunus, Mertens, Torreira, and Günay!