Kartal’s Pride After 18-Year Wait for Fenerbahce
Ismail Kartal stood in the bowels of Sukru Saracoglu, eyes bright, voice steady. Eighteen years of waiting had brought Fenerbahce back to the Champions League. He had been the man on the touchline for every step of the climb.
Now comes Roma.
Kartal’s pride after an 18-year wait
This is Kartal’s fourth spell in charge of Fenerbahce, but none of the previous ones carried this kind of weight. By steering the club through three qualifying rounds, he has become only the second Turkish coach ever to lead Fenerbahce into the Champions League phase.
He did not hide what that means to him.
The 62-year-old spoke of “immense pride” and made it clear he trusts this group to stand up to the level of Europe’s elite. The journey through the qualifiers has hardened them; the league phase is the reward.
Yet the reward is ruthless. Roma are first.
Facing a Roma side in full stride
Roma arrive in Istanbul with a perfect record in Serie A: three games, three wins. Kartal has studied them closely and his verdict was blunt – he sees this as the strongest Roma squad in the club’s history.
“They have the strongest squad in their history,” he said, underlining the scale of the challenge awaiting his side.
He did not talk about damage limitation. He talked about a plan.
No retreat, no bunker
Kartal stressed that his staff have gone deep into the details, completing what he called exhaustive analysis of Roma. The goal is clear: Fenerbahce will not simply drop off and hope.
“We will display a balanced game with plans for both attack and defence, rather than simply sitting back,” he insisted.
The idea is to be proactive, to use the noise and energy of Sukru Saracoglu as a weapon, not a backdrop. Fenerbahce want to press when they can, play when they can, and refuse to let Roma dictate every rhythm of the night.
Asensio out, others must rise
There was one setback in the team news. Spanish forward Marco Asensio remains out injured and will miss the opener. For a side that craves creativity and composure in big European moments, that is a notable absence.
Kartal did not dwell on it. He turned quickly back to those available, stressing his confidence that the rest of the squad can step in and carry the load on a stage this big.
Someone else will have to find the decisive touch. Someone else will have to live with the pressure of the moment.
This is a strategy match
If the tactical battle will be tight, Kartal knows the margins in the stands matter too. He made a direct appeal to the Fenerbahce supporters, asking for patience and unity from first whistle to last.
“This is a strategy match,” he said. “We ask our fans to remain patient and united behind the team until the final whistle.”
He expects a game of detail, of small adjustments, of long spells where control matters more than chaos. The crowd, he believes, must ride those phases with the players, not against them.
A high-stakes opening night
Fenerbahce host Roma at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on Thursday, 10 September, with kick-off at 19:45 local time. It is only the first step of the league phase, but it already feels loaded.
Win, and Fenerbahce seize early control of their group and extend the surge that carried them through qualifying. Slip, and they are chasing from the start against one of the competition’s form teams.
Kartal has his plan. Roma have their momentum. The question now is whether an 18-year wait turns into a statement night, or a harsh reminder of what this level demands.
