For the first time since leaving Wolves, Nelson Semedo made his return to domestic action.
Wolves wanted Semedo to stay, but the right-back’s mind was made up, as he signed for Fenerbahce.
The Old Gold had offered Semedo a huge contract in a bid to keep the right-back at Molineux, but Jose Mourinho was calling in Istanbul.
Wolves are desperately trying to replace Semedo, who leaves a sizeable void on the right side of defence following his departure.
Feyenoord v Fenerbahce - UEFA Champions League
Photo by Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images
Nelson Semedo makes Fenerbahce debut
Semedo said an emotional goodbye to Wolves after his five-year stay in the West Midlands.
The former captain left with his head held high, moving on to his next adventure in Turkey with Fenerbahce.
After over two months out of domestic action, Semedo returned to the pitch as Fenerbahce faced Feyenoord in the Champions League qualifiers.
The first leg ended in dramatic fashion for Mourinho’s side, who suffered defeat in injury time, with Semedo coming on early in the second half.
Nelson Semedo vs Feyenoord
33 minutes played
1x dribbled past
2 duels won
4x possession lost
94% pass success
24 touches
0 crosses
2 successful dribbles
Nelson Semedo’s Fenerbahce debut vs Feyenoord – Sofascore
MORE WOLVES STORIES
The former Wolves captain had a testing debut, both personally and as a collective, which was expected, having been away from the action for so long.
Semedo completed 100% of his dribbles, which will be a welcome part of his debut for Mourinho; however, the numbers portray that he was tested defensively by the Dutch side.
The player’s Sofascore heatmap showed that he spent the majority of his time in advanced positions, being most visible past the halfway line.
What Semedo has said about Jose Mourinho
Semedo admitted he joined Fenerbahce to work with Mourinho, who actually tried to sign the right-back in 2020 while he was at Tottenham.
Ahead of making his debut, the former Wolves captain described his new boss as ‘one of the best’.
“I am very glad to work with Mourinho. He is a very good coach. One of the best in the world. It is also number one in Portugal.
“Working with Mourinho, learning something from him is a privilege. I’m excited to start.”
It was a painful start to life at Fenerbahce for Semedo, who will be eager to get his new club back to winning ways promptly.