Friendly match: Fenerbahçe: 1 - Lazio: 0

Fenerbahçe faced Italian side Lazio at home in their final friendly match as part of their preparations for the 2025-2026 season. Zorbay Küçük officiated the match, which remained scoreless in the first half. The Yellow-Navies took a 1-0 lead in the 60th minute with a goal from İrfan Can Kahveci. There were no further goals in the match, and the Canaries left the pitch with a 1-0 victory.

Jose Mourinho's squad will play their first official match on Wednesday, August 6, against Feyenoord. The Yellow-Navies will be the guests of the Dutch side in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

The Yellow-Navies started the match with the following starting eleven: İrfan Can Eğribayat, Mert Müldür, Yusuf Akçiçek, Jayden Oosterwolde, Archie Brown, Fred, Bartuğ Elmaz, İrfan Can Kahveci, Sebastian Szymanski, Oğuz Aydın, and Jhon Duran.

Yiğit Efe Demir, Sofyan Amrabat, Youssef En-Nesyri, Çağlar Söyüncü, Cengiz Ünder, and Alexander Djiku also saw playing time in the second half of the match.

İrfan Can Kahveci SHINES IN FRIENDLY MATCHES

İrfan Can Kahveci, whom head coach Jose Mourinho used primarily as a substitute last season and did not give much playing time in the starting eleven, impressed with his performance ahead of the new season. The national footballer, who was a regular in the friendly matches during the training camp in Portugal, started as captain against the Italian side. İrfan Can followed Youssef En-Nesyri's pass well in the 60th minute of the match and sent the ball into the net. The 30-year-old attacking player was replaced by Cengiz Ünder in the 73rd minute. İrfan Can has scored 3 goals in the pre-season friendly matches.

NEW SIGNINGS MAKE THEIR DEBUT

Fenerbahçe's new signings Archie Brown and Jhon Duran played in Kadıköy for the first time. Archie Brown started in all 4 friendly matches played during the Portugal camp, while Duran came on as a substitute in the last 2 matches. The Colombian forward was replaced by Youssef En-Nesyri in the 56th minute against Lazio.

Dutch footballer Jayden Oosterwolde, who had been away from the team since last October due to a cruciate ligament tear, returned to the squad at the beginning of this season. Oosterwolde stepped onto the pitch at Saracoğlu for the first time in approximately 10 months.

SKRINIAR WATCHED FROM THE STANDS

Milan Skriniar, who played on loan for Fenerbahçe in the second half of last season, arrived in Istanbul to advance transfer negotiations ahead of the new season. The Slovak defender landed at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in the evening, then reached the stadium by private vehicle and watched the friendly match against Lazio from the stands.

Following the completion of last season, the scoreboards at the stadium were replaced with next-generation scoreboards as part of the renovation work. While the pixel resolution was increased to improve visibility, they were used for the first time starting with the Lazio match.

Fenerbahçe appeared in front of their fans 60 days after their last league match played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Sports Complex. The Yellow-Navy fans showed great interest in the friendly match. The fans, who filled the stands towards the start time of the match, supported their team with chants and songs.