Greenwood Fenerbahce
Mason Greenwood was mercilessly booed by Aston Villa fans.
After many felt let down by the lack of ill-will aimed at Manchester City by Liverpool fans acting as the first responders to the greatest sporting scandal in English football history on Sunday, the Aston Villa faithful did us all proud on Wednesday night in response to Mason Greenwood’s first appearance on these shores in nearly five years.
Greenwood’s last match in England – a 1-0 Manchester United win over West Ham in January 2022 – came eight days before he was arrested and later charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He denied all wrongdoing and the charges were dropped in February 2023 before he rebuilt his career at Getafe, Marseille and now Fenerbahce.
Roberto De Zerbi is certainly aware of the strength of feeling in England surrounding Greenwood, whom he described as a “good guy” who had “paid a heavy price” in their time together at Marseille. He issued an “I’m sorry if you were offended” half-apology upon being appointed by Tottenham in response to a Spurs fan group launching a ‘no to De Zerbi’ campaign for “downplaying the seriousness of what happened”.
The Fenerbahce fans, aware of the talent they had secured after Greenwood’s 48 goals in 81 appearances for Marseille, mobbed the 25-year-old at Istanbul airport following his €39m signing. He enjoyed no such warm welcome at Villa Park.
His name was booed as the teams were announced ahead of kick-off and he was booed every single time he touched the ball from then on out, while every misplaced pass, heavy touch and scuffed shot was met with jubilant jeers. Football fans really are the best sometimes.
Mason Greenwood gets hostile reception at Villa Park on return to English football 🚨 #UCL https://t.co/ljHHksCsQb
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) October 14, 2026
“Not enough conviction from Greenwood” was the Adam Summerton commentary line dripping in glorious irony as the United academy graduate failed to make any impact as Aston Villa stormed into a 3-0 lead before the break thanks to a Johan Manzambi goal on his Champions League debut and a brilliant brace from Nicolas Jackson in what threatened to be the lefty football hipsters’ favourite ever half of football.
The very, very loud call of “Greenwood, what’s the score? Greenwood, Greenwood, what’s the score?” as he trudged for the tunnel at half-time secured that accolade.
Greenwood wouldn’t be drawn on the dropped charges upon his unveiling at Marseille, and later batted away a question in an interview with La Provence.
“I do not wish to enter into any controversy,” he said.”I already had the opportunity to express myself on this subject last year, it is now behind us.”
He’s faced no such questions in Turkey.
“Turkey is a good environment for Mason Greenwood,” said Ziya Adnan, a football correspondent for Istanbul-based newspaper BirGun. “I think probably 95 per cent of Fenerbahce fans won’t know about his past or his personal life, especially the younger generation. They will only look at what he does on the pitch for the team.”
But they should know and in what might be the first recorded instance of public service booing, those young people will now be asking about a man they have been venerating in his brief Fenerbahce career to date.
They may still revere him, they may grow even to idolise him, but they can now do so with all of the facts.
Ross Barkley scored a couple in the second half, one from the penalty spot and another deflected from the edge of the box, on what was a hugely positive night for Unai Emery and his team.
But the real acclaim goes to the Aston Villa fans, who came prepared to berate Mason Greenwood and did just that, in a heartwarming reminder of the power of football after a month of questioning what the point of it all is.
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