Trabzonspor don reach Hungary with heavy heart, as dem need to overturn one-nil deficit against Ferencvaros for Thursday Europa League return leg.
Di first leg for Papara Park no sweet for Turkish side, as Kristoffer Zachariassen score header for 17th minute, and Chibuike Nwaiwu see red card for stoppage time.
Now, Trabzonspor must win for Groupama Arena to go through to Europa League league phase. If dem win by one goal, e go enter extra time; any draw or defeat go end dia campaign.
Dis match go mark Trabzonspor dia 157th appearance for European competition. Di Black Sea club don win 56 of dia 156 previous European matches, draw 39, and lose 61, with 194 goals score and 210 concede since 1976-77 season.
For UEFA Cup and Europa League alone, dis go be dia 99th game, as dem first compete for 1982-83 against Kaiserslautern. Dem get 38 wins, 22 draws, and 38 losses for 98 matches, score 130 goals and concede 132.
E dey important to note say Trabzonspor don fail to win any European match since August 1, 2024, when dem beat Ruzomberok 1-0. Since then, dem don play five matches without victory – two draws, three defeats.
Ferencvaros, di Hungarian champions, dey confident. Dem don win two and draw one for three European home matches this season, and dem dey unbeaten for Groupama Arena. Dem don beat Vojvodina, Twente, and Gornik Zabrze for qualifying.
History dey behind Ferencvaros, as dem don already defeat Trabzonspor 3-2 for di same stadium for 2022-23 Europa League group stage. Coach Balazs Borbely talk say dem no go just dey defend di 1-0 lead; dem wan play dia own game. E also mention say dem don practice penalties since pre-season.
Borbely also talk say Mohamed Salah go play for different position from wetin e play for first leg for Turkey. Salah score two goals for Trabzonspor 2-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir for Sunday, and e dey hungry to score for Europe too.
Salah open scoring for eighth minute and later score again three minutes after half-time, though two stoppage-time goals bin be disallowed. E don inspire Trabzonspor, but dia defence still dey worry dem, as dem don concede for all three matches this season.
Nwaiwu suspension dey add to dia problem. Samet Akaydin expected to replace am for central defence. Okay Yokuslu and Arseniy Batagov no go play because of fitness, and Tim Jabol-Folcarelli still dey sideline with knee injury.
Coach Fatih Tekke dey prepare for im second European match as coach. Di 48-year-old don manage many clubs before, but e still dey find im first continental victory from bench. E know say e need win for Budapest to keep dia European journey alive.
Fabinho don just join Trabzonspor on Monday, but e no sure say e go play on Thursday, as im arrival come two days before di match.
