Source: Fenerbahçe’s Famous Badge – Source: Pixabay
Fenerbahçe, set to play a critical derby against arch-rival Galatasaray on the path to the championship, is seeing head coach Domenico Tedesco’s starting eleven choices begin to finalize.
Tedesco, who struggled just days ago with two contrasting issues—determining the first team due to suspensions for Oosterwolde, İsmail, and Fred, and the injury absence of Çağlar before the Ferencváros match—is now facing a “sweet dilemma” due to the high form of many stars ahead of the Galatasaray derby.
The competition in the midfield is at its peak.
Fred Close to the Bench in Midfield Battle
Midfield key player Fred delivered a very strong performance against Rizespor after a long absence. However, İsmail Yüksek and Edson Álvarez are currently among the most consistent and in-form players of recent weeks. One of these players will have to start the derby on the bench, and Fred appears to be the primary candidate for that role.
Talisca and Asensio’s Form War
There is also a serious battle for a starting spot on the flanks between Marco Asensio and Talisca. The Spanish star, in particular, has been phenomenal in the league. Talisca, meanwhile, came off the bench to score against Rize and was the player who secured the draw against Ferencváros. Despite his impact, the Brazilian forward is also closer to being benched.
Striker Dilemma: Duran or En-Nesyri?
Competition has also flared up in the forward line with the recovery of Jhon Durán. The Colombian star started his first match in the starting XI since the season-opening Kocaelispor game when he featured against Rize. Youssef En-Nesyri, while occasionally giving up his spot to Talisca, has been unrivaled up front for the majority of the season. The Moroccan star came on as a substitute against Rize and found the net, reaching 7 league goals. Choosing between this duo will not be easy either.
In defense, the places of Nélson Semedo, Milan Škriniar, and Jayden Oosterwolde appear guaranteed. At left-back, Levent Mercan seems to be a step ahead of Brown due to his superior defensive qualities.
