Latest news with #SüperLig
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🎥 Mertens in tears with Ciro and Lion King 🦁 Retirement ahead? 😢
Yesterday the Turkish Süper Lig came to an end: Galatasaray, already champions for weeks, finished a triumphant season with a 2-0 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir, with two former Napoli players, Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen, scoring the goals. The most important moment of the match came in the 79th minute, when Mertens was substituted, enjoying the applause of the Ali Semi Yen stadium for the last time. Advertisement The player was immediately lifted in triumph by his teammates, amid ovations and chants from the stadium, while the announcer called him a legend and used the nickname the Belgian earned during his time at Napoli—which later became his son's name—"Ciro" Mertens. Speaking of his son Ciro, the "Lion King"-style welcome he received from the stadium will go down in history. After the match, during the celebration dedicated to him at Ali Semi Yen together with his wife and son, Mertens could not hold back his tears. The club's farewell message was also moving: "Thank you, Dries. Some goodbyes cannot be put into words. When he arrived three years ago, Dries Mertens was not just a player, but a true leader, a big brother, an example. He was the man who changed games with his courage, his intelligence, and his self-confidence. He took responsibility in difficult moments, guided the young players, and always gave everything for the team. He was happiest when motivating even from the sidelines." Advertisement "Dries touched our hearts even off the pitch with his modesty, sincerity, and his smile. He was one of those who most believed in unity and solidarity, and this made Galatasaray more than a club. Now it's time to part ways. But your name, your memories, your leadership, your humanity have already been written in golden letters in the history of this jersey, Dries. Thank you for everything, we are so happy that you became one of us." Mertens opened the scoring in the match (which also celebrated the retirement of Galatasaray captain Fernando Muslera, a club legend with 15 years of service) with a penalty in the 17th minute. Now it remains to be seen what the future holds for the Belgian, with retirement from professional football being the most likely scenario. The player has even stated that he wants to live in Naples after he leaves football. Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. 📸 Ahmad Mora - 2024 Getty Images
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Arda Turan Named New Shakhtar Donetsk Manager
Shakhtar Donetsk have appointed Arda Turan as their new head coach with a deal running until 2027. Turan, 38, replaces Marino Pusic after Shakhtar slipped to third in the Ukrainian Premier League – their worst finish in nearly three decades. The ex-Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona midfielder moves into the role after two years in charge of Turkish side Eyüpspor, where he led them to promotion and a strong top-flight debut, finishing sixth. Shakhtar, who now play their home games in Lviv due to the ongoing war, are looking to Turan to bring a fresh spark ahead of their Europa League campaign. 'I want to win trophies and bring pride to the fans,' said Turan. Managerial rise Turan took over Eyüpspor in 2023, shortly after retiring. His first full season saw promotion to the Süper Lig, followed by a sixth-place finish the year after. In total: 84 games, 45 wins, 14 draws, 25 defeats. His sides press high, play in a 4-3-3 and work hard off the ball. He's big on discipline and demands full commitment from his players. Turan says he wants to outdo his playing career as a coach. Big words – but his start's been impressive. A bold call Reaction to his appointment has been mixed. Some fans welcome his energy and ambition. Others worry about his lack of European experience. Shakhtar chief Serhii Palkin backs him fully, calling Turan 'a coach who knows how to lead and win.' Tags: Arda TuranShakhtarTurkiye
Morocco World
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
En-Nesyri Under Fire: From Hero to Headache at Fenerbahçe
When Youssef En-Nesyri arrived in Istanbul last summer, Fenerbahçe fans thought they'd landed a lethal target man, a proven goalscorer from Sevilla who was meant to propel them to titles and European glory. For a while, he did just that – before it all went down. The Moroccan forward lit up the Süper Lig in his early months, chalking up 26 goals and 7 assists in 47 appearances this season. From August to February, he was electric – tearing up defenses, bagging braces for fun, and even entering conversations around the world's top scorers. But then came March. And the goals stopped. In Sunday's derby against Beşiktaş, the 27-year-old was hauled off in the 70th minute to the sound of boos and whistles from the home fans. Fenerbahçe lost 1-0 and with it, perhaps, their grip on the title. They now trail Galatasaray by five points, and their patience is now dwindling. Pundits aren't holding back either. Erman Özgür, speaking to TivibuSport , didn't mince his words: 'You threw away another 70 minutes of Fenerbahçe's time, saying you would save En-Nesyri in the eyes of the fans… You save yourself first.' Since netting against Antalyaspor on March 2, En-Nesyri has failed to find the back of the net. Even José Mourinho, who publicly backed the striker, is feeling the heat. 'En-Nesyri scored 26 goals without taking penalties. He went through a challenging period during Ramadan, where he lost some of his form, but he is starting to get back to his best. He has proven that he is regaining his physical condition. He will play a key role in the remaining seven matches of the season, without a doubt,' said the Portuguese boss earlier this month. That faith, though, has yet to bear fruit. Despite the slump, En-Nesyri remains a man in demand. West Ham and Saudi giants Al-Nassr are rumoured to be circling, and with a contract until 2026, Fenerbahçe may well look to cash in this summer. So, can En-Nesyri rediscover his killer flair before the season ends, or has his time in Kadıköy already run its course? Tags: FenerbahceJose MourinhoTurkeyYoussef En-Nesyri
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims bragging rights over Jose Mourinho as Besiktas triumph 1-0 over Fenerbahce... with ex-Spurs flop scoring the winner against his former Tottenham manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's Besiktas beat Fenerbahce 1-0 in the Istanbul derby to further dent Jose Mourinho 's chances of winning the Turkish Süper Lig. Gedson Fernandes, who flopped at Tottenham Hotspur when Mourinho was in charge, missed a penalty but then scored the only goal to hand Solskjaer bragging rights at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. The win sees Solskjaer became the first foreign Besiktas coach to claim an away win at Fenerbahce in 22 years and spells the end of Fenerbahce's title hopes, with Mourinho's side eight points behind leaders Galatasaray. The former Manchester United managers, who together spent five years at Old Trafford, clashed during their time in England and faced each other for the first time since moving to Turkey. Solskjaer replaced Mourinho at United in 2018 and the two managers both recorded second place Premier League finishes - the highest the Red Devils have achieved since Sir Alex Ferguson. The pair locked horns in April 2021 after Solskjaer's United beat Spurs 3-1 , a week before Mourinho was sacked. The 62-year-old Portuegese boss was incensed after Solskjaer claimed Son Heung-min had cheated to disallow a United goal. Solskjaer, who revealed pre-match he has not spoken to Mourinho since his arrival in Turkey in January, criticised the South Korean for diving at the time. 'If that was my son and he stays down and he needs his mates to help him up, he doesn't get food because that's embarrassing, the game's absolutely gone,' the Norwegian said. Mourinho took aim at Solskjaer's parenting in response. 'I just want to say that Sonny is very lucky that his father is a better person than Ole,' he said. 'I am a father. I think as a father you have to always feed your kids. It doesn't matter what they do. If you have to steal to feed your kids, you steal. Solskjaer shrugged off the rivalry before the game, insisting: 'This is not a match between Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 'This is a match between Besiktas and Fenerbahce. The players will decide the score. I have great respect for Mourinho.' Since replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst in January, the 52-year-old has lifted Besiktas to fourth place in the league and are competing for Europa League play-off spot. Fernandes, who joined Spurs under Mourinho in 2021, missed a penalty before scoring Fenerbahce will compete in the Champions League next season but there is uncertainty whether Mourinho will still be in charge. In November he tore into the Turkish Super Lig in an incredible tirade following his team's 3-2 away win at Trabzonspor on Sunday. Mourinho did not hold back as he boldly stated: 'Nobody abroad wants to watch the Turkish league. 'Who wants to watch this Turkish league abroad? They have the Premier League, they have the French league, they have the German league, they have the Portuguese league, they have the Dutch league. Why should they see this? 'It's too grey. It's too dark, smells bad. But that's my job, and I will give everything to my job, to my club.' Meanwhile, the former Chelsea manager was last month hit with a three-match ban and slapped with a 292,500 Turkish Lira (£5,955) fine after appearing to grab the nose of Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk in jaw-dropping scenes. After approaching Buruk from behind, Mourinho seemingly pinched his opposite number's nose. Buruk, 51, then fell to the floor, covering his face with his hands.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manchester City Want To Sign Galatasaray Midfielder In The Summer: Will He Be A Good Choice?
Manchester City have been a dominant team in the Premier League in the last few seasons. However, this time around they have suffered badly and are now fighting to finish in the top four by the end of the season. The club were also knocked out of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Pep Guardiola's side need extensive strengthening of the squad in the summer to get back to their elite level next season. Midfield will be an area of concern for the club. Their important midfielder, Kevin de Bruyne, is set to part ways with the club this summer, and that will be a huge setback for City. Moreover, the futures of Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, and Mateo Kovacic at the club are not certain. In such a scenario, City should be targeting a quality midfielder in the transfer window. Manchester City Want To Sign Gabriel Sara According to a report by French outlet Foot Mercato, Manchester City want to sign Gabriel Sara in the summer. The Galatasaray midfielder has been one of the top midfielders in the Turkish league in the last few seasons. The 25-year-old has also been part of Norwich City in England. Advertisement If we talk about his stats this season, Gabriel Sara has scored two goals in 28 matches so far in the Süper Lig 2024/2025 season. One of the two goals were scored at home, while he scored one goal in away games. Overall, Sara's goals scored per 90 minutes is 0.08. Moreover, the midfielder's total G/A (goals + assists) is eight for this season. His goal involvement equates to 0.33 per 90 minutes, and his non-penalty xG per 90 minutes is 0.16. Will he be a good signing? Gabriel Sara is the kind of midfielder who does a bit of everything—and does it well. He is got the engine to cover every blade of grass, the technique to pick out smart passes, and the grit to win his battles in midfield. Whether the midfielder is driving forward with the ball or swinging in a dangerous cross, he brings real purpose to his play. With two goals and eight assists for Galatasaray, he has shown he can contribute going forward while still handling the dirty work in the middle of the park. It is no surprise that Manchester City are keeping an eye on him. He looks like a natural fit for Pep Guardiola's system, especially as a flexible number eight who can slot into different roles. He's not going to break the bank, and with his solid performances in the Championship show, he has got promise. That said, his limited experience at the highest level is a question mark. Still, if City are looking for depth without overspending, Sara could be a smart pick—so long as they balance the squad with more established talent too.
