Fenerbahce Displays Turkic Flags Before Slavia Prague Clash

Fenerbahce supporters displayed flags representing Turkic states before the club's UEFA Champions League match against Slavia Prague in Istanbul on October 20, 2026. The pregame spectacle attracted attention on social media, where supporters of rival Turkish clubs praised the display, while several Slavia Prague players also watched the presentation.

According to Yeni Safak, the flag display continued a tradition associated with Fenerbahce's European fixtures. Images from the stands circulated online, attracting positive reactions from football fans who welcomed the representation of the Turkic world before an international match.

Supportive messages also came from followers of Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor, demonstrating that the display received appreciation beyond Fenerbahce's own fan base. The reaction stood out against the intense domestic rivalries among Turkey's leading football clubs.

Fenerbahce entered the third round of the Champions League seeking its first victory in the competition after opening its campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Roma and a 6-0 defeat away to Aston Villa. The team had gained momentum domestically by beating Corendon Alanyaspor 3-0 before facing the Czech side.

Coach Ismail Kartal emphasized the importance of securing three points at home and acknowledged Slavia Prague's physical strength and tactical discipline during his pregame assessment.

"We did not get the result we wanted in our last Champions League match. We want to play the game we want against Slavia Prague at home and get three points. We have completed all our preparations and analyses.

We are facing a very disciplined team that has played under the same coach for nine years and relies on physical strength. My players know what they need to do on the field. Our A, B and C plans are ready tonight.

Hopefully, with the support of our fans, we will play good football and get three points. We will give Mason Greenwood a different responsibility tonight. Everyone will see," said Ismail Kartal, Fenerbahce's head coach.

Kartal's starting lineup included Ederson, Semedo, Skriniar, Ake, Brown, Kante, Guendouzi, Kerem, Greenwood, Oguz and Vedat. Slavia Prague named Markovic, Suleiman, Vlcek, Zima, N'Guessan, Kubiak, Nowak, Moses, Ayaosi, Provod and Sturm in its starting eleven.

The match was scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. local time on October 20, with TRT 1 providing free-to-air live coverage in Turkey. Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos was appointed to oversee the contest, assisted by Iker De Francisco and Ivan Masso Granado.

Fenerbahce had faced Czech clubs 16 times in official European competitions before the fixture, recording six wins, three draws and seven losses, according to Istanbul Ticaret Gazetesi. Its first meetings with a Czech opponent came against Bohemians Prague in the 1983-1984 season, when the Turkish club lost 1-0 at home and 4-0 away. Fenerbahce subsequently lost both matches against Sparta Prague in the 1989-1990 season, falling 3-1 away and 2-1 at home.

Slavia Prague also arrived seeking to end a prolonged Champions League winless run. According to Istanbul Ticaret Gazetesi, the Czech club had gone 21 matches without a victory in the competition, recording seven draws and 14 defeats. Its last Champions League win came on September 19, 2007, when it beat Steaua 2-1.

Slavia Prague had also lost its first two Champions League matches of the 2026-2027 campaign, falling 3-2 to Lens at home before suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Sabah. The Czech side therefore entered the Istanbul fixture looking for its first points of the campaign, while Fenerbahce pursued its first win after returning to the Champions League for the first time in 18 years.