Fenerbahçe Faces Left-Back Crisis Ahead of Critical Lyon Clash
Filip Kostić and Levent Mercan are not included in the UEFA squad list. Additionally, Mert Müldür received a red card in yesterday’s match. Ahead of the crucial match against Lyon on January 23, Fenerbahçe finds itself without a left-back.
Mert Müldür, one of the players at risk of suspension, first received a yellow card in the second half and was later sent off with a second yellow. Mert‘s absence will create significant problems for the team in Europe. This is because the other left-backs, Levent Mercan and Kostić, are not on the UEFA list. Moreover, Oosterwolde has been out with a long-term injury and is sidelined for the season. Another option, Oğuz Aydın, who Mourinho has occasionally deployed as a left-back during matches, is also not included in the UEFA list. As a result, Fenerbahçe currently has no available left-backs for the critical Europa League match against Lyon at Kadıköy on January 23.
Possible Solutions
How head coach José Mourinho will address this challenge in the European arena is already a topic of speculation. One possibility is to deploy center-back Djiku in the left-back position. Alternatively, Cengiz Ünder, who was brought on as a substitute and played as a left-back in yesterday’s match, could start in this position against Lyon.
