Salah Fires Trabzonspor to First Win
Trabzonspor secured their first victory of the Turkish Super Lig season with a 2-1 home win over Istanbul Basaksehir on Sunday, with Mohamed Salah scoring a brace on his first league start. The Egyptian forward, who joined the club on a free transfer from Liverpool earlier this month, put his side ahead in the eighth minute after capitalising on a defensive error, and then added a second early in the second half after an exchange with Ernest Muci. Two further goals were disallowed.
The win lifts Trabzonspor to fourth in the standings on four points. Basaksehir had levelled in the 19th minute through Eldor Shomurodov's penalty, a result that leaves the visitors still searching for their first league win of the campaign.
Fabinho Makes the Move
Earlier in the week, Trabzonspor confirmed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Fabinho on a free transfer, a day after he departed Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad. The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal, with the club set to pay him a €2.6 million guaranteed fee and a €1.4 million signing fee per season, according to a Turkish stock exchange filing.
Fabinho, who was seen arriving in Trabzon on Monday, said he was looking forward to linking up with his former Liverpool teammate. "A really special feeling to be playing with Salah again," he said, as reported by multiple outlets. "I had the opportunity to play with him for five years in Liverpool. He is a person whom I respect a lot."
The Brazilian's arrival was confirmed via a statement on the club's X account, which read: "An agreement has been reached for a two-year contract with ... Fabinho, who is currently in free status." The move ends a period of uncertainty for the former Monaco man, who had been a free agent since leaving Al-Ittihad. He was pictured in Trabzonspor's kit on a private jet ahead of the announcement, saying, "A familiar face is waiting for me in Trabzon."
Reunion on the Cards
Fabinho's arrival reunites him with Salah, with whom he won six major honours at Liverpool, including the Premier League and the Champions League. The pair's partnership was a cornerstone of Jurgen Klopp's all-conquering side that dominated English and European football between 2018 and 2023.
Salah, who has been the subject of adulation from Trabzonspor fans since his arrival, is said to have been pivotal in convincing Fabinho to make the move. The Egyptian is relishing the chance to rekindle the on-pitch understanding that yielded so much success at Anfield.
Debut Disappointment
Salah's match-winning performance against Basaksehir was a far cry from his competitive debut for the club a week earlier. The veteran forward was introduced as a substitute in the 58th minute of Trabzonspor's season opener against Kasimpasa, with the match ending 1-1 after they had led through a Noah Saviolo goal. Despite creating several chances late on, Trabzonspor were unable to find a winner.
"It's a sad start today," coach Fatih Tekke was quoted as saying after the match. "It was a game we had to be victorious in, but we couldn't succeed."
European Struggles
Salah's double came after a frustrating outing in midweek, as Trabzonspor slumped to a 1-0 home defeat to Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the first leg of their Europa League play-off. The Turkish side, who finished third in the Super Lig last season and won the Turkish Cup, will need to overturn that deficit in Budapest on Thursday to keep their European dream alive.
The upcoming fixture against Ferencvaros will be a chance for Trabzonspor to progress, but they will face a stiff challenge. They will need to be more clinical in front of goal, something they lacked in the first leg. With Salah finding his scoring boots, they will be confident of getting the job done.