Fenerbahçe Defeat Sturm Graz 2-0; Confession from Rival Manager About Talisca

Fenerbahçe hosted Sturm Graz at home in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round and came away from the match with a 2-0 victory. A notable incident occurred in the 21st minute of the match; following a hard challenge by Sturm Graz's Stankovic on Guendouzi, English referee C. Kavanagh showed the player a yellow card.

Speaking after the match, Sturm Graz manager Fabio Ingolitsch stated that they had, as expected, put up a difficult fight against a strong opponent like Fenerbahçe. He said they finished the first half behind and had planned to change the game in the second half, but were unable to implement this plan due to Fenerbahçe's strong squad.

The young coach said that the stadium atmosphere in Istanbul had an unexpected effect on their players, stating that the high-pressing game plan they had built with young players therefore did not translate onto the pitch. Emphasizing that it was not easy to stop Talisca, Ingolitsch noted that despite the measures taken, it was not possible to completely neutralize the Brazilian star's influence on the game.

Stating that Sturm Graz aims to use their home advantage in the return leg, Ingolitsch said they plan to finish the first half ahead and turn the score in their favor in the second half. Regarding a question about Georgian player Otar Kiteishvili's injury status, he said he could not give a clear answer but noted that the player had suffered a similar injury during preparation matches as well, concluding his remarks.