What happened in Turkish football today? 21/02/2019

Fenerbahce has been relegated from Europa League. 

Fenerbahce has been relegated from Europa League after losing to Zenit with 3:1 scoreline without using its 1st leg advantage in any way with allowing Zenit to control as their wished despite of nice goal from Mehmet Topal which was scored at right moment but mistake from 2nd half has prevented team to get to next stage.

One of the main aspects of Fenerbahce for not getting into next round has been of not starting good game during 1st half as it has provided pretty poor performance allowing Zenit to find an early goal and creating chances. After that Zenit has provided an attacking game which led them to find 2nd goal. As game, has been turning into hand of the Zenit during 1st half as it showed very attacking game. Goal prior to 2nd half of the Mehmet Topal has got an important goal as it would have provided an opportunity for 2nd half as current scoreline has been enough. However, Fenerbahce needed to find 2nd goal as the fear that Zenit could find a goal as it needed one due of either mistake or personal skill. However, Zenit has come from good chance and has found goal from Serdar Azoun. It needs to be admitted that Fenerbahce has provided a better performance during 2nd half with Tolgay Arslan providing strong passing game and has done in good manner, however once again it was important to find goal. Fenerbahce even got chance to find 2nd goal but it didnt use this advantages and has made mistakes not only of Fenerbahce, but Turkish clubs general way of being eliminated at Europa League.

Even through Zenit didnt look like it has provided very attacking game during 2nd half but it always had game in hand and has used its key opportunities. In addition and one of the main reason for last 16 ticket has been for team to find an early goal with follow-up and hence had motivation for upcoming games.

Fenerbahce wasnt able to use its advantages which it got and has been relegated from Europa League as rather finding a draw goal of 2:2 has provided good passing game but didnt manage to get into dangerous zone. With being out of Europa League, Fenerbahce would have very tough days.

Galatasaray are not at same level as Benfica.

Despite of losing to Benfica at home ground during 1st leg of the Europa League 2nd round game,
Galatasaray did come out to 2nd leg with high motivation and confidence but with taking account an aggregate scoreline of 2:1 Benfica has shown controllable game and has used its advantage to its own hand.

Galatasaray task has been arleady been difficult as it needed to find 2 goals at the Stadio de Luz which are among difficult stadiums to play at due of strong support of fans. Even through Galatasaray at some moments of the time did control ball, it didnt create many chances and has only being effective during 2nd part of 2nd half even finding 2 goals with two being disallowed as Emre Akbaba goal on 85th minute which was seen as offside does raise some questions but again it would be doubtful, to all respect towards Istanbul giants, it would have been difficult to turn around game. Galatasaray did provide some good performance at preventing Benfica to score goal which especially at 1st half did show some attacking game and this could be seen as positive side, but Benfica has been one who needs to get it and hence has provided performance. It is important for Galatasaray to be able to recognise, not counting offside goals ofcourse, why Galatasaray didnt even manage to find at least 1 goal at the 2nd leg. But as been noted previously, Galatasaray are not at same level as Benfica and it needs to be aware of that and identify ways to reach that level.

Benfica on other hand, as been mentioned beforehand even through did provide in some moments an effective game and didnt manage to find goal, has got what it was seeking during this leg as it had 2 away goal advantage over Galatasaray. Benfica is being at good condition right on with Bruno Lage and get for at Europa League this season.

Galatasaray can now focus at the title race at the league and also get Turkish Cup as domestically it does show good performance in recent weeks, but this game did provide that its not same level as Benfica.

Trabzonspor would aim to turn around their poor performance with a win against Goztepe. 

Trabzonspor would be aiming to turn around its poor performance during Super League 23rd week game against Goztepe as it has lost last 2 weeks of the season and currently finds itself 15 points behind league leaders Basaksehirspor and 2nd placed Galatasaray.

Without doubt, Trabzonspor would need to revise its aims for this season as talks for league title and Champions League are being further and now it would be aiming to get Europa League spot. It needs to be stated that their would be meeting with Goztepe which didnt show great performance in recent weeks and also in generally during this season and would see this game as good opportunity to turn around their poor performance, so it would be dififcult game between both sides seeking to get an important win which would affect to sides motivation and confidence. Good news for Trabzonspor would be that both Filip Novak and Ugurcan Cakir has been recovered from their injuries and expected to be able to play against Goztepe and getting closer to an ideal starting 11 which it didnt have for 2nd half of the season.

Trabzonspor would be coming as favourite but their are showing downgrade of performance and hence winning this game could identify their aims for rest of the season and provide motivational boost.

Results: 
Europa League, 2nd round, 2nd leg:
Zenit 3:1 Fenerbahce (agg: 3:2)
Benfica 0:0 Galatasaray (agg: 2:1)

Schedule:
Turkish Super League, 23rd week:
20:30 Goztepe- Trabzonspor
20:30 Rizespor - Yeni Malatyaspor

In other news:

- PFDK decisions:
- Yeni Malatyaspor and Trabzonspor has recieved 20,000 TL fine for events at field.
- Yeni Malatyaspor, Konyaspor, Trabzonspor and Bursaspor has recieved blockage of stands for behaviour of fans.
- Yeni Malatyaspor player Adem Buyuk has recieved 2-game ban for breaking rules.
- Besiktas has recieved 30,000 TL fine for events at the field
- Konyaspor has recieved 20,000 TL for behaviour of fans
- Konyaspor player Adis Jahovic has recieved 2-game ban and 8,500 TL fine for breaking rules.
- Kasimpasa has recieved 100,000 TL fine for allowing fans without ticket
- Kasimpasa worker Cuneyt Arslan has recieved 20,000 TL for being an unaccredited area.

- Tondela has transferred Alanyaspor player Erdinc Mergen.

- Fenerbahce has signed professional contract with its academy player Osman Ertugrul Cetin

- Alanyaspor has extended contracts with its players Tzavellas and Haydar Yilmaz until 2021.

- Antalyaspor CEO Ali Safak Ozturk has become CEO of Antalyaspor Foundation.

- YeniMalatyaspor players Murat Akca, Issam Chebake, Bugra Cagaran, Aboubakar Kamara, Thievy Bifouma and Omer Sismanoglu are injured.

- Erzurumspor has signed deal with Emin Evim for shirt sponsorship.

- Alanyaspor has extended contract with its player Efecan Karaca for 3 years.

- Fenerbahce player Hasan Ali Kaldirim has become injured during Europa League 2nd round 2nd leg game against Zenit

- Besiktas players Gokhan Tore wants to move to team outside of Turkey.

- Rizespor has stated that it didnt recieve transfer offer for its player Gokhan Akkan from Besiktas.

- Fenerbahce player Carlos Kameni has stated that he would aim to find new club during summer transfer window.

- Akhisarspor are interested to appoint Hamza Hamzaoglu as club's head coach.

- Ararat Yerevan are interested to loan Fenerbahce player Michael Frey for 1.5 years.

- Fenerbahce are interested to transfer Porto player Yacine Brahimi

- Chelsea considers to offer 60 million euro for Roma player Cengiz Under.