Fenerbahçe's greatest European nights
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Article summary
Fenerbahçe's crucial Group A game against Celtic will be their 200th match in UEFA competition; UEFA.com's Türker Tozar recalls their greatest European successes.
Article top media content
Article body
The breakthrough victory
Fenerbahçe 2-1 Manchester City
02/10/68, European Champion Clubs' Cup first round second leg
At a time when Turkish football's stock was low in Europe, fans carried Hungarian coach Ignáce Molnár and his players shoulder-high after they built on a 0-0 draw in England and recovered an early second-leg deficit to eliminate City. This first success for a Turkish side against English opposition was secured when Ogün Altıparmak set up Abdullah Çevrim for the equaliser and then hit the winner himself. "My wife had seen it all in a dream," Altıparmak said. "She told me we would be 1-0 down at half-time but would win 2-1. I told my team-mates at the break that it was all going to plan."
The best of the 1980s
Bordeaux 2-3 Fenerbahçe
18/09/85, European Champion Clubs' Cup first round first leg
The French champions counted Jean Tigana and Alain Giresse among their star men but they were eclipsed at home, despite the 500 Yellow Canaries supporters at the Stade Chaban-Delmas being outnumbered 20 to one. Bordeaux twice hit back after goals from Selçuk Yula and Şenol Çorlu, yet had no response to Hüseyin Çakıroğlu's clincher. "We played fantastic," Hungarian coach Kálmán Mészöly said. "My players completely followed my instructions. We could have won by more." A 0-0 home draw completed a triumph made more poignant by Çakıroğlu's death from cancer little over a year later.
The modern marvel
Manchester United 0-1 Fenerbahçe
30/10/96, UEFA Champions League group stage
Galatasaray had ousted United on away goals with a pair of draws in the 1993/94 second round, but Sebastião Lazaroni's Fenerbahçe arguably went one better as Elvir Bolić's deflected shot ended the Red Devils' 40-year unbeaten home record in Europe. Although United utterly dominated proceedings, the Yellow Canaries rode their luck to glory. "I was a good way out but felt [Peter] Schmeichel wouldn't be able to do anything to save the shot," Bosnian forward Bolić recalled. "That goal changed my life. It's a special pride and honour for me to know that goal is still being talked about after so many years."
The auspicious start
Fenerbahçe 1-0 Internazionale
19/09/07, UEFA Champions League group stage
The Turkish champions had 20 shots on goal against their Italian counterparts – and but for Inter keeper Júlio César, it could have been a rout. While Roberto Carlos, Gökçek Vederson, Mehmet Aurélio and Önder Turacı all shone, Alex was the brightest star, beating Maxwell and crossing for Deivid to volley the winner two minutes before half-time. "My players did everything to prove their quality," said Brazilian coach Zico. "They fought all game and searched for the open spaces." Victory heralded another huge achievement, as Fenerbahçe made it through the group stage for the first time.
The European high-water mark
Fenerbahçe 2-1 Chelsea
02/04/08, UEFA Champions League quarter-finals first leg
Having battled past Sevilla on penalties in the round of 16, Deivid turned from hero to villain by scoring an early own goal against Chelsea. Colin Kazım-Richards' finish from Mehmet Aurélio's brilliant through ball sparked a second-half fightback, with Deivid crashing in a superb decider from distance. "At half-time we thought positive," said Zico. "We took risks to win." A 2-0 loss in the return leg curtailed the club's best ever European run, yet they were the only side to beat eventual runners-up Chelsea in that season's UEFA Champions League.