One defender who has been struggling with an injury is ready to play through the pain barrier in Fenerbahce’s clash with Liverpool
Fotbal Club FCSB v Fenerbahce SK - UEFA Europa League 2025 26 League Phase MD8 A Fenerbahce flag is seen during the UEFA Europa League game between FCSB and Fenerbahce SK at National Arena in Bucharest, Romania, on January 29, 2026. Bucharest Romania PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xAlexxNicodimx originalFilename:nicodim-fotbalcl260129_npk0b.jpg
Fenerbahce host Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday, with kick-off at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
The Reds arrive in Istanbul having won all three of their league-phase matches. However, they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday, with Kai Havertz scoring the winner in the 16th minute.
Both teams have injury concerns ahead of the encounter. Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola travelled with a 22-man squad that did not include Ryan Gravenberch.
Iraola confirmed that the midfielder has a heel fracture, adding that his situation is currently a matter of managing pain.
Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike are also unavailable.
Fenerbahce have their own fitness concerns, with Nathan Ake, Marco Asensio and Jayden Oosterwolde among those unavailable.
However, there is renewed hope that 22-year-old Ghanaian defender Kojo Oppong could be available for the visit of Liverpool.
According to journalist Yagız Sabuncuoglu, Oppong is determined not to leave his team short for the game despite experiencing pain. He will undergo another fitness assessment before kick-off, with a place in the starting XI possible if he is pain-free.
The latest update represents a change from earlier reports. On Monday, Sabuncuoglu reported that Oppong would miss the Liverpool match because of his injury.
Oppong joined Fenerbahce during the summer transfer window and made his first start against Goztepe. However, he was substituted in the 84th minute, with Yigit Efe Demir coming on in his place.
Interim head coach Dirk Kuyt later explained that Oppong had felt pain and signalled that he wanted to be substituted.
His potential absence would leave Kuyt short of options in central defence, with Milan Skriniar and Yigit Efe Demir the only available centre-backs.
Kuyt, a former Liverpool player, will lead Fenerbahce against his old club as interim manager.
🚨 Kojo Oppong, ağrılarına rağmen takımını Liverpool maçında yalnız bırakmak istemiyor. Genç stoper, maç öncesinde bir kez daha denenecek. Ağrı hissetmemesi halinde ilk 11’de sahaya çıkacak.
— Yağız Sabuncuoğlu (@yagosabuncuoglu) November 4, 2026
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