Fenerbahçe's 2-2 draw against Slavia Prague in the third round of the UEFA Champions League league phase has sparked a fresh wave of criticism in the Turkish media. Journalists have once again drawn comparisons with Azerbaijan's Sabah, who defeated the Czech side 2-0 just a week earlier.
As reported by İdman.Biz, prominent Turkish football columnist Zeki Uzundurukan dedicated an article in Fotomaç to Fenerbahçe's disappointing result, publishing it under the telling headline: "We Couldn't Beat the Team That Sabah Defeated!"
"Where is Fenerbahçe? Even Azerbaijan's Sabah beat this Slavia 2-0. If you can't defeat a team like this, who exactly are you going to beat?" the journalist wrote.
Uzundurukan was particularly frustrated by the fact that Fenerbahçe, playing in front of their home supporters, had established a 2-0 lead by the 11th minute but failed to protect their advantage, conceding the equalizer in the final minute of regulation time.
The columnist also criticized head coach İsmail Kartal, questioning whether the Istanbul club had what it takes to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage.
Notably, this is not the first time the Turkish media have used Sabah's European performances to criticize their own football giants.
Following the second round of the Champions League, Turkish journalists sharply criticized both Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray after their heavy defeats to Aston Villa (0-6) and Barcelona (1-4), respectively.
At the time, commentators contrasted the expensive squads assembled by the Istanbul clubs with the historic achievement of Sabah, whose significantly more modest financial resources had not prevented them from securing an impressive victory over Slavia Prague.
Now, that same triumph by the Azerbaijani side has once again become one of the main arguments used by Turkish football analysts to question Fenerbahçe's performances on the European stage.
After three Champions League matches, the Istanbul giants remain without a victory, having collected just two points.
Meanwhile, Sabah's success against Slavia continues to attract attention beyond Azerbaijan, with the Baku club increasingly being cited as an example of how a less financially powerful team can compete successfully at the highest level of European football.
