Fatih Tekke: We deserved it but we lost

In the 22nd week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Trabzonspor was defeated 3-2 by Fenerbahçe. Trabzonspor manager Fatih Tekke expressed their sadness after the match, stating, "We were defeated in a way we did not deserve at all. We were here to make our fans happy. Our pressure in the first 10-15 minutes was not at the level we wanted. We found the goal, but there was a positional error from a scramble. In the second half, the desire and ambition were at a high level, but we lost the ball again. Sometimes, no matter what you do, it doesn't work. There was a Trabzonspor team trying to press and play against such a strong squad. The opponent's 3 shots became 3 goals, and we were defeated."

Expressing his satisfaction with most of the game, Tekke said, "Except for the first 15 minutes of the match, I am satisfied with the game until the end. If it had been the beginning of the league, this performance would have satisfied everyone. We wanted 3 points, but it didn't happen. Sometimes you have to experience many things while losing. There is a strong Trabzonspor, but we need experience, especially regarding 'moments.' We are learning by making mistakes, at a heavy cost. Trabzonspor is on the right track. We have to get back up and prepare for the next match."

Thanking the fans, Tekke said, "The atmosphere was very beautiful; I thank our fans. We always want to see this support. All of our players are young. We need repetition and experience to play the moments better. We have general problems, but we will fix them by working. I think my players did their best."

Touching on the refereeing and the general state of Turkish football, Tekke said, "I don't want to talk much about the referee specifically for this match. However, there are issues that need to be discussed regarding the influence of referees in the country's football. In a race with teams with large budgets, certain feelings can arise. We look at the positions, and different interpretations emerge. We want the game to be managed according to its rules, not its name. Transparency is important. Referees should also know that they affect the joy and sadness of millions of people."

Stating that they will continue to develop their game identity, Tekke assessed, "We couldn't do what we wanted in one-on-one pressure in the first 10 minutes, then we switched to our second plan and we were better in that part. When we continue the game and reduce mistakes, we will play more comfortable matches. If these mistakes hadn't happened, it could have been one of the matches we could have won easily. If we had won, a lot would have been said, but it didn't happen. We are on the right track, we will continue to work."

Tekke concluded his words by saying, "I congratulate my players and Fenerbahçe. There was a beautiful and tough competition. My players put in great effort. We are sad, but our struggle will continue."