Fenerbahçe put on a masterclass in dominance on Tuesday, overwhelming Erzurumspor 5-0 to make it two wins from two in the Turkish Cup Group B.
Goals from Anderson Talisca, Cenk Tosun, Mert Hakan Yandaş, and a brace from Youssef En-Nesyri saw the Yellow Canaries cruise to six points while maintaining a spotless defensive record under manager José Mourinho.
Following a 3-0 victory over Kasımpaşa in their opener, Fenerbahçe now look ahead to a key clash against Gaziantep on Feb. 26. A win could seal their spot in the knockout stages.
Erzurumspor, meanwhile, remain winless and rooted to the bottom of the group.
Mourinho: “Six points may not be enough”
Despite the emphatic display, Mourinho struck a cautious tone after the match.
“We took both matches seriously, and I’m pleased with how my players used their minutes. But I don’t think six points will necessarily be enough to advance,” the Portuguese tactician said.
The Fenerbahçe boss, who has been rotating heavily during the group stage, defended his squad choices.
“The difficulty level wasn’t the highest, but we approached it professionally. Every player who stepped in delivered. That’s how we build a strong squad.”
Navigating European roster limits
Mourinho also addressed the ongoing challenge of assembling a squad for European competition amid injuries and foreign player limitations.
“We have 15 foreign players but can only register 14. Diego’s injury status is crucial – if it’s serious, he won’t be on the list. Mimovic, however, isn’t in my plans for any squad list,” he said.
He pointed to Allan Saint-Maximin’s potential move to Napoli as an example of the transfer complexities: “It was a tricky situation involving three clubs. In the end, we kept 15 foreign players, which forces difficult decisions.”
Rotations and fresh energy
Mourinho emphasized the importance of rotation as the club competes on multiple fronts.
“If I always play the same XI, you’d ask about those left out. A strong manager must trust his squad. We compete in three tournaments, which means constant rotation.”
On Tuesday, Çağlar Söyüncü and Alexander Djiku returned to the starting lineup: “I call it fresh legs, fresh energy. Every player must know how we press and build our game.”
He confirmed that defender Mert Müldür and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic will miss the next fixture due to injuries.
Talisca makes his mark
The match also saw Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca open his Fenerbahçe account in style. The 31-year-old netted in the 33rd minute, converting a pass from Mert Hakan Yandaş in what was his first Turkish Cup start.
Talisca, who made his debut in a recent league outing against Rizespor, was subbed off in the 61st minute for Oğuz Aydın, but left an impression on the home crowd.
With their latest performance, Fenerbahçe look poised for progression — and, under Mourinho, their ambitions in the Turkish Cup are as bold as ever.