Fenerbahçe Suffers First Home Defeat in Europe: 2-0 Loss to Athletic Bilbao

In the match played at Ülker Stadium, Athletic Bilbao took the lead in the 5th minute following a mistake by Samet Akaydin, with Inaki Williams scoring. The Yellow Canaries failed to register a shot on target in the first half and conceded a second goal to Inaki Williams in the 45th minute, going 2-0 down at halftime.

Fenerbahçe tried to be more effective in the second half, recording their first shot on target in the 68th minute. Just a minute later, Mert Müldür was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

The match ended 2-0 in favor of Athletic Bilbao, leaving Fenerbahçe with 8 points after six matches and suffering their second defeat in the UEFA Europa League.

“Resign” Chants at Ülker Stadium

During the match, Fenerbahçe fans called for club president Ali Koç to resign. The crowd voiced their discontent after Mert Müldür’s red card and continued chanting “Ali Koç resign” after the final whistle, also showing support for former president Aziz Yıldırım.

Mert Müldür Sees His First Red Card in Professional Leagues

Fenerbahçe’s national player Mert Müldür received his first red card in professional league football during the 69th minute. Previously, he had only been sent off while playing for Rapid Wien’s reserve team in the 2017-2018 season. This was his first red card since joining Fenerbahçe in the 2023-2024 season, occurring in his 53rd match for the club.

Fans React to Samet Akaydin

Fans criticized Samet Akaydin after his misplaced back pass led to Athletic Bilbao’s opening goal. Inaki Williams capitalized on the error to score. The crowd whistled at Akaydin whenever he touched the ball, prompting stadium announcements urging fans to support all players. Head coach Jose Mourinho substituted Akaydin with Çağlar Söyüncü at halftime.

Çağlar Söyüncü Returns After Injury

Çağlar Söyüncü made his return after a month-long injury, coming on as a substitute in the 46th minute. He had missed matches against Sivasspor, Kayserispor, Gaziantep FK, and Beşiktaş, as well as the Europa League clash with Slavia Prague.

First Time Without a Goal in Europe

Fenerbahçe failed to score in a European match for the first time this season. Before this game, they had scored in all nine of their European outings, netting 15 goals.

Goals Conceded in Every European Match

Fenerbahçe has conceded goals in all 10 of their European matches this season. Starting with a 4-3 win against Lugano in the Champions League qualifiers, they continued their European journey in the Europa League after being eliminated by Lille. The Yellow Canaries have now conceded 16 goals in their European campaign this season.