September 8, 2026 Football Agenda: Beşiktaş Win the Derby as the Champions League Kicks Off
Turkish football has produced plenty to talk about over the past few days: a breathless derby in Kadıköy, an injury scare overshadowing Galatasaray's continued dominance at the top, Salah's scoring streak in Trabzon, and now the long-awaited kickoff of the Champions League league phase this evening. Here are the headlines shaping the agenda.
Beşiktaş win the derby as Vlahovic makes history
The season's first big derby in Süper Lig's 4th week was played in Kadıköy, with Beşiktaş coming away 2-1 winners at Fenerbahçe. The hosts' only goal came from Milan Skriniar in the 26th minute, while Beşiktaş's winning goals arrived through Rıdvan Yılmaz in the 38th minute and Dusan Vlahovic in the 73rd. The Serbian striker's goal not only sealed the derby win but also marked the first time in 26 years that a foreign player scored four goals in Beşiktaş's opening three Süper Lig matches. Follow-up statistical coverage highlighted that Vlahovic reached four goals in just 284 minutes across his first five official appearances, making him one of the club's most efficient foreign forwards in recent history. Meanwhile, Rıdvan Yılmaz, who scored earlier in the match, was forced off with an injury before the second half and is being monitored by the club.
İsmail Kartal apologizes after the derby defeat
Speaking after the loss, Fenerbahçe head coach İsmail Kartal took full responsibility for the result. "We couldn't meet expectations, we let our fans down. All responsibility lies with me and my staff," Kartal said, adding that his side had been outmuscled in midfield and failed to control possession sufficiently. With this being the yellow-and-navy blues' second defeat in four league matches, the coaching staff's apologetic tone drew wide attention from fans and media alike.
Galatasaray stay top but face an injury scare
Another major result came from Istanbul, where Galatasaray beat İstanbul Başakşehir 3-2 away from home to secure their third straight win and finish the week top of the table with 10 points. However, the victory was overshadowed by an injury concern: Victor Osimhen was forced off late in the first half. The club confirmed a strain in his right adductor muscle group, with an MRI and further tests underway. Mario Lemina reportedly suffered a similar issue, while Wilfried Singo, injured in training, was found to have tendon and muscle damage in his right thigh. The news is being closely followed by fans ahead of the club's upcoming Champions League fixture.
Salah's scoring run continues at Trabzonspor
The Black Sea side thrashed Gençlerbirliği 5-0 at home to finish as the week's top-scoring team. Paul Onuachu bagged a brace, while Mohamed Salah converted a 14th-minute penalty to reach four goals in his first four Süper Lig appearances. The Egyptian star's form has become one of the clearest signs of his smooth adaptation to Turkish football since his move, with Trabzonspor keeping pace at the top of the standings.
Champions League league phase kicks off today
The new 36-team league phase of the UEFA Champions League begins today with a slate of high-profile fixtures, including Real Madrid vs Inter, Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal, FC Porto vs Manchester City, Club Brugge vs Aston Villa, Lille vs Real Betis, and AEK Athens vs LASK Linz. Turkey's two representatives will feature later in the week: Galatasaray travel to Sporting tomorrow (September 9), while Fenerbahçe host Roma at home on September 10. Both Turkish clubs recently finalized their official UEFA squad lists ahead of these opening fixtures.
The agenda may change throughout the day; follow official announcements for the latest updates.