Erik ten Hag: “Fenerbahçe Atmosphere Impressive, Draw Frustrating”

Speaking at the press conference held after the match at Ülker Stadium, the Dutch coach mentioned that they had just played two challenging away games.

Reflecting on their inability to win despite scoring first, the experienced manager said, “We came through two tough matches. We took 2 points from away games at Porto and Fenerbahçe. Even though we scored the first goal, we conceded a sloppy goal. It was a simple goal for us. We had the chance to make it 2-0. We created good chances, but it didn’t happen. We’re disappointed.”

The 54-year-old coach also shared that Manuel Ugarte made his first start in six weeks, saying, “Ugarte needs to learn more about how we play. As he learns, he’ll improve. Playing with four attackers in a challenging away game could have been difficult. Overall, we’re pleased with our team’s performance and the quality of our players.”

Praising Fenerbahçe as a strong club with an impressive fan atmosphere, the Dutch manager added, “It would have been great to face Fenerbahçe in the final. In the first half, we needed to have more ball possession. We had to better adjust our pressing while defending. Ultimately, we came through two tough away games with draws. We wanted to win, but we knew before coming here that it would be a tough match.”