Milan Skriniar's Rocky at Fenerbahce despite victory...

Milan Škriniar made his debut for Fenerbahçe last Sunday in a challenging 3-2 win over Çaykur Rizespor. The Slovak defender, on loan from PSG until the end of the season, did not have the expected performance.

Starting in a three-man defense, Škriniar struggled against the opposition’s forward, Ali Sowe, who scored a quick brace in the first half. Although Škriniar was not directly at fault for the first goal, he delayed in closing down on the ball carrier for the second, inadvertently contributing to the goal by retreating towards his goalkeeper without intervening. This moment led to frustration from the Turkish supporters.

In total, Škriniar committed three fouls and lost possession of the ball 11 times, a disappointing stat for a player of his caliber. However, coach José Mourinho downplayed the criticism, emphasizing the need for work to improve the fitness and integration of new recruits like Škriniar.

Despite the rough performance, the Slovak defender found positives in his debut: “I’m happy with our victory in my first match. I got back on the field after two months”, he said after the game, promising to keep improving. The hope remains for Škriniar, who is confident he will regain his best form with time.