Mourinho’s Confidence Boost: Mercan and Aydın Set to See More Playing Time
Fenerbahçe defeated Zenit in a friendly match, with Levent Mercan and Oğuz Aydın impressing head coach Jose Mourinho. Both players, who had limited opportunities in league games, managed to catch the eye of the Portuguese tactician, who is reportedly considering giving them more playing time.
Eager to make the most of the international break, Fenerbahçe played a friendly against Zenit at Ülker Stadium earlier this week, securing a 2-1 victory. Mourinho fielded players who had seen limited action in official matches, and their performances brought a smile to his face.
Leading the standout performers were Levent Mercan and Oğuz Aydın. Both players were signed at the beginning of the season with high expectations but had struggled to secure significant playing time. Mourinho had even faced occasional criticism for not giving them enough opportunities.
Levent Mercan, who had played only 10 minutes in the Süper Lig until now, scored in the match, prompting Mourinho to rush to celebrate with his player. Mercan played the full 90 minutes, recorded 61 touches, and achieved an impressive 93.3% passing accuracy from 79 pass attempts. On the defensive end, he won two out of three tackles and four out of six duels.
Oğuz Aydın also delivered a strong performance. Substituted in the 85th minute, he recorded 50 touches, an 89.3% passing accuracy from 28 attempts, and won 10 out of 13 duels.
Pleased with their displays, Mourinho is said to be planning to give both Levent Mercan and Oğuz Aydın more opportunities to shine after the international break.
