League opener Saturday, no Lukaku
Fenerbahçe kick off the Süper Lig season Saturday at 20:30 CEST, away at Gençlerbirliği (1). Romelu Lukaku is not in the squad for the opener (2) (3). The big signing from Napoli will not debut in the first competitive match.
Your team head into this with a 2–0 lead over Sturm Graz still to protect in Austria. İsmail Kartal has insisted the tie is far from over. The league opener matters, but the Champions League play-off against Lyon looms right behind it.
Lukaku promises goals and Turkish lessons
Lukaku was presented Friday, and he came with a promise about the language: "I think I'll start the lessons Monday" (4) (10). He told fans he wants to be ready to speak Turkish next time. And he promised more than just words, specifically goals (4).
Get the next Fenerbahçe S.K. brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Günok out with muscle strain
Goalkeeper Mert Günok has a strain and edema in his upper muscle. The club confirmed it from an MRI (5). The timing is rough, right as the season gets going.
Fred joins Atlético-MG after 212 days
Fred is gone. Atlético-MG paid 2 million euros plus 500k in goal bonuses, and the whole negotiation dragged 212 days (6) (8) (9). Coach İsmail Kartal tried to block the exit.
Fred actually had an agreement to play Fenerbahçe's Champions League preliminary phase before the sale went through (6). His farewell was raw: "I can't even explain what I'm feeling right now," he told Atlético-MG fans, ending with "Once until death! Galo!" (8).
Champions League squad submitted for Lyon
Fenerbahçe submitted their official squad to UEFA for the play-off round against Lyon (11). That tie follows the third qualifying round, where your team hold a 2–0 lead over Sturm Graz going into the away leg.
13 absences in camp squad
The camp squad for the opener has 13 absences (14). Between injuries and the Fred departure, Kartal is working with a thin group for Gençlerbirliği.
Interest in Girona winger Min-Su Kim
Fenerbahçe are one of four clubs showing interest in Girona winger Min-Su Kim, along with Ajax, Rangers and Lyon (13). Nothing confirmed yet.
Boskamp doubts the Lukaku move
Jan Boskamp is not sold on the Lukaku transfer (12). The Dutch commentator acknowledged Lukaku was received like a god in Istanbul, but he still places question marks over the move.
