Under coach Jose Mourinho, Fenerbahçe have had a bumpy ride in the Süper Lig, dropping seven points in their first eight matches and struggling to replicate last season's stellar form.
Last year, under former coach Ismail Kartal, Fenerbahçe finished the 2023-2024 season with an impressive 99 points, securing second place.
The team went through the first eight weeks without dropping a single point, boasting six clean sheets in that span.
In Kartal's first eight matches, which included ties against Gaziantep, Samsunspor, Ankaragücü, Antalyaspor, Alanyaspor, Başakşehir, Rizespor and Kasımpaşa, Fenerbahçe racked up 24 points, scoring 20 goals while conceding just three.
They kicked off the season with a 2-1 victory over Gaziantep and a thrilling 3-2 win against Antalyaspor in the fourth week, maintaining a flawless defensive record in the remaining six matches.
In total, Kartal’s squad achieved 31 wins, six draws and just one defeat over the course of 38 league games, amassing 15 points in losses. In stark contrast, Mourinho's side has already dropped seven points after just eight matches, with one game less to play by the ninth week, leaving them eight points adrift of the league leaders.
Through the opening eight matches, Fenerbahçe has recorded five victories, two draws and one defeat, scoring 18 goals but conceding seven.
Mourinho's team managed to keep clean sheets against Adana Demirspor, Rizespor, Alanyaspor, Kasımpaşa, and Antalyaspor but faltered in three matches where they conceded goals.
The turning point came in the second week when the team failed to hold onto a lead against Göztepe, settling for a 2-2 draw.
They faced a disappointing 3-1 loss to archrivals Galatasaray in week six and could only manage a draw against Samsunspor, despite twice taking the lead.
After finishing last season in the top two, Fenerbahçe currently find themselves in fourth place under Mourinho's guidance as they head into week nine.
