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Fenerbahce bowed out of the Ziraat Turkish Cup on Tuesday after a 1-0 extra-time defeat away to Konyaspor, with coach Domenico Tedesco turning attention straight to the upcoming derby against Galatasaray and expressing hope that Marco Asensio will be available.
Speaking after the quarterfinal loss, Tedesco said the team now had to move on quickly and recover from a physically demanding night that stretched to 120 minutes. He also said Asensio was expected to follow an individual session first and then rejoin team training for three days ahead of the derby.
At Konya Stadium, Fenerbahce were knocked out after conceding in extra time following a goalless 90 minutes. Tedesco said his side did not come out with the level of energy and intensity he wanted, and he linked that early lack of rhythm to the emotional effect of a goal conceded in the previous league match against Rizespor.
As the game wore on, however, he said Fenerbahce gradually grew into it and produced their best spell in the first half of extra time. In that period, he felt the team took control, moved the ball around well, switched play effectively and carved out several clear chances. In his view, the main problem was not structure or personnel, but the inability to put those chances away.
Tedesco said that in a knockout match, failing to score leaves a team exposed, especially over 120 minutes when a goal can come from a penalty, a counterattack or a set piece. Referring to the penalty decision, he said that if VAR awards such a call, it has to be accepted, because that means it is deemed a penalty.
He also repeated that Fenerbahce had enough openings to change the outcome and suggested that converting even one of several major chances could have sent the team through to the semifinals instead.
With Galatasaray next up, Tedesco said recovery would be crucial. He noted that Fenerbahce played one day before their Istanbul rivals, but also pointed out that his players had to get through 120 minutes, making the physical cost of the cup tie especially significant.
Even so, he said the squad had shown in previous big games that it could step up when needed, and he expected the team to do everything possible in the derby after a few training sessions.
Tedesco said Fenerbahce opted to line up in a 4-3-3 formation and also wanted to give Ismail Yuksek some playing time before the derby. According to the coach, the midfielder is no longer feeling pain, and bringing him back into the flow now was seen as less risky than holding him back completely and then throwing him straight into such a high-pressure match.
He also dismissed the idea that the result came down to one attacking selection call. Speaking about Guendouzi, Tedesco said the player offered an offensive dimension and could be described as more of an "8.5," while even being capable of playing as a "10" at times. He argued that the real issue was not whether Talisca started or came off the bench, but that the team did not make the most of its chances.
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