Merih Demiral on Fenerbahçe: 'It remains a regret for me'

Al Ahli player and national footballer Merih Demiral spoke about the process of leaving Fenerbahçe, where he was raised in the youth academy, his transfer to Saudi Arabia, his expectations for EURO 2024, and his future goals. Speaking to TRT Spor, here are Merih Demiral's statements:

"In my early days at Juventus, I had some tough tackles on Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo. Thankfully, they were very professional and didn't get angry at me. They didn't create any problems. They talked to me at every moment and shared their experiences."

"I SPOKE WITH RONALDO BEFORE MY TRANSFER TO SAUDI ARABIA"

"My transfer process to the Saudi League developed quickly. I never expected to transfer here. Our coach had a great influence. When I talked to him, I was convinced. They explained the project and mentioned how much this place would develop. I am very happy; it is a new experience. I hope I stay here for a long time. I spoke with Ronaldo before coming. He had a great influence on my coming here. He paved the way for everyone. Very big players are coming, and I think even more will come. I am lucky to be among them."

"IT IS DIFFICULT TO PLAY AGAINST RONALDO"

"I have faced Ronaldo many times. After Juventus, we played against each other in the national team, and now we are playing against each other here. It is difficult to play against Ronaldo. Besides the difficulty, it is nice to play with such great footballers. Not everyone gets that chance. He is also in very fit condition. Thank God we defended well, so he couldn't show too much impact during the match. It is always a good feeling to play against Ronaldo. I hope we will play against each other in the European Championship as well."

"FENERBAHÇE COULD HAVE BENEFITED MORE FROM BONUCCI"

"I think Fenerbahçe could have benefited more from Bonucci. Bonucci is truly a real character both on and off the pitch. Not everyone gets the chance to benefit from his experience. I could see how much impact Bonucci had on the players on and off the pitch. That's why Fenerbahçe could have benefited from him differently."

"VOLKAN DEMİREL AND MEHMET TOPAL USED TO CALL ME 'STAM'"

"When I made it to the Fenerbahçe A-team, I used to shave my head. Volkan Demirel and Mehmet Topal used to tease me, calling me 'Stam'. Ever since then, whenever I shave my head, I feel better. I feel more focused on football. It's the same now. I never think about growing my hair out. I grew a mustache, and I feel good with the mustache right now. I wanted a new image and a change."

"FENERBAHÇE REMAINS A REGRET FOR ME"

"Fenerbahçe has always remained a wound, a regret for me. Because neither could Fenerbahçe benefit from me, nor could I benefit from Fenerbahçe. I had very big dreams back then. I wanted to play at Şükrü Saraçoğlu. I had to make such a decision. This was a very good decision for me; I added a lot to myself in Portugal. I realized one of the dreams of every young Turk. But Fenerbahçe is a very big wound in my heart. That process didn't go the way anyone wanted. Some individuals prevented it. There was no process with Fenerbahçe regarding my departure; it was a process regarding individuals. Because the individuals at that time were a very big factor. They did strange things. There is no need to talk too much about it. You understand."

"WE TALK ABOUT TURKEY WITH FIRMINO AND MAHREZ"

"A dialogue took place between Firmino and me the other day. He said there are many people sending messages saying 'Come to Fenerbahçe, come to Galatasaray'. 'They keep messaging me,' Firmino said. I have such conversations with Mahrez from time to time as well. They know the teams in Turkey. They say they always get messages during transfer periods. I tease them by saying, 'You need to play in Turkey for 1 year.' Their perspective on Turkey is good. They see Turkey as a beautiful country."

News Source: 12punto