Who will play in defense against Antalyaspor?
Fenerbahçe strengthened its squad during the winter transfer window, providing Coach Ismail Kartal with an opportunity for a well-rotated defensive duo, especially in the center-back position.
As Fenerbahçe prepares to face Antalyaspor away, Kartal has not yet made a decision on which center-backs to field, presenting a pleasant dilemma. Let’s take a closer look at Ismail Kartal‘s challenging decision regarding the center-back choice.
Ismail Kartal’s difficult decision
Fenerbahçe’s coach is surrounded by a pleasant anxiety as the challenging Antalyaspor away match approaches. With defenders like Bonucci and Çağlar joining the squad during the winter transfer window and Djiku returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, coupled with Oosterwolde’s good form in the center-back position, Kartal finds himself undecided about which two defensive players to field.
Ismail Kartal will make his choice
Fenerbahçe’s head coach Ismail Kartal will choose from defenders such as Bonucci, Djiku, Çağlar Söyüncü, Oosterwolde, and Serdar Aziz. In this regard, Kartal closely monitors the training performance of his players. Let’s take a closer look at the players in the defensive line of Fenerbahçe team.
Serdar Aziz to the bench
The experienced player has always done his best whenever he was assigned a task. However, perhaps due to frequent injuries, Fenerbahçe was compelled to make 2 defensive reinforcements during the mid-season transfer window. In the current rotation, Serdar Aziz seems to have the least chance of getting on the field. The 33-year-old player will likely sit on the bench, waiting for his turn to come.
Alexander Djiku close to the starting XI
Alexander Djiku impressed with his performance during the process of 19 matches unbeaten. He first suffered an injury and then left his team alone due to the Africa Cup of Nations. The successful player returned to his jersey against Ankaragücü and again showcased an excellent football performance. The Ghanaian defender stands out as the player closest to the starting XI among the other candidates.
Çağlar Söyüncü is ready
Çağlar Söyüncü was the latest addition to the team during the mid-season transfer window. The national defender arrived physically ready from Atletico Madrid, but he initially engaged in individual workouts for the first two days. The 27-year-old player participated in his first team training yesterday. Çağlar is ready for duty, with the main challenge being his limited chance to train with his teammates.
Jayden oosterwolde in great form
The Dutch player successfully transitioned from left-back to center-back. What sets Oosterwolde apart from other candidates are his speed and attacking contributions with the ball. In addition, he impressed with successful coverings of the spaces left behind when Ferdi went on the attack. Oosterwolde did not play against Ankaragücü due to suspension. It’s not easy to give up on him.
Bonucci fully recovered
After the arrival of the Italian star, he played 52 minutes against Gaziantep and 64 minutes in the Adana match. Bonucci played the full 90 minutes against Samsunspor. The experienced player showcased his quality in these three matches. Bonucci, who missed the Başakşehir match due to injury and was on the bench against Ankaragücü as he had just recovered, is now ready to take on responsibilities.
