Acun Ilıcalı: ‘We’re Focused, But Talisca Transfer Isn’t Finalized Yet’

Following Fenerbahçe‘s 2-1 away victory against Czech side Slavia Prague, Ilıcalı discussed the team‘s Europa League ambitions and transfer plans.

SLAVIA PRAG MATCH

Evaluating the 3 points secured in Prague, Ilıcalı expressed his happiness with the result, emphasizing the difficulty of the match:
“We are very happy to have delighted both our fans who traveled here and the millions of Fenerbahçe supporters watching on TV. This was an extremely tough away game, but we are Fenerbahçe. In the past, we’ve had matches where luck wasn’t on our side. We were also missing many key players. To secure a victory here despite all those absences is very significant for us.”

EUROPA LEAGUE PROSPECTS

Commenting on the Europa League’s remaining three matches, Ilıcalı highlighted the unpredictability of the new format:
“Anything can happen under the current UEFA Europa League system. There are three more matches to play. I see our chances as strong; I always have. However, this is football. Our aim is to secure direct qualification, and we’ll push for it until the end. We have a very tough schedule, as you can see from the opponents we’ve faced so far. We’ve been without key players like Amrabat and Mert Hakan. In UEFA competitions, squad selections are finalized early, and you can’t make additions. To win 3 points here under these conditions is immensely satisfying.”

EN-NESYRI’S PERFORMANCE

Speaking about Youssef En-Nesyri‘s contribution, Ilıcalı noted:
“Every player needs time to adapt. En-Nesyri is improving day by day. He played only briefly, but he turned the match around. I highly admire him and believe he is exactly the player Fenerbahçe needs. I expect him to be very impactful in the future.”

ANDERSON TALISCA TRANSFER

Clarifying the rumors that Fenerbahçe had reached an agreement with Anderson Talisca, Ilıcalı said:
“There’s a lot of speculation. We are very focused on transfers, but the situation isn’t as positive as what’s being reported. These things take time, and we’re going through certain processes. Right now, there’s no situation where we can say, ‘It’s done, we’ve signed him.’ When these rumors surfaced, it was during the international break, and the media needed content. That’s when stories about signing Ronaldo and Talisca appeared.”

THIS SEASON’S TRANSFERS

Ilıcalı also shared his thoughts on the club’s recent signings:
“I believe we’ve been 100% successful with our transfers this season. Following Oğuz Aydın’s recent performances, all the transfers have made significant contributions. En-Nesyri scored, Maximin has been effective, Oğuz Aydın is playing, and we have Amrabat. They’ve added great value. Our aim is to strengthen the squad further during the winter transfer window in consultation with our coach. We have a foreign player slot available, and we plan to use it.”