Istanbul’s autumn campaign has brought a costly pause for Fenerbahçe: Marco Asensio has undergone arthroscopic surgery in Madrid on his left knee and is expected to be unavailable for around three months. The 30-year-old forward’s cartilage problem ends a difficult spell in which pain had increasingly limited his involvement.
Asensio’s knee problem reaches surgery
- Asensio carried discomfort in his left knee through recent weeks, after an issue that had first troubled him late last season.
- At the start of September, he publicly rejected reports in Turkey suggesting an operation was imminent. In a video shared by Fenerbahçe, he said he did not usually respond to false reports but felt compelled to do so when his health and supporters’ hopes were involved.
- He said at that time that he expected the situation to improve and that he would soon rejoin the squad on the pitch.
- The pain worsened over the past three weeks, however, leaving him unable to continue playing. Club and player then agreed that surgery was necessary.
- Fenerbahçe confirmed that arthroscopy had been performed in Madrid to address a cartilage injury, with a three-month recovery forecast.
Asensio explained that he had tried to play through the earlier problem because of the team’s title ambitions. He said the injury at the end of last season had ruled him out for the remaining fixtures, but he had pushed to return ahead of schedule despite knowing the possible risk to his health.
“I am someone who never gives up and always fights until the end,” Asensio said. He added that the recent pain had made it impossible to keep playing, but said he remained motivated to work towards a return alongside his team-mates and in front of the Fenerbahçe support.
A disrupted second season in Istanbul
The former Mallorca, Espanyol and Real Madrid player joined Fenerbahçe from Paris Saint-Germain in September 2025 for €7.5 million. His first months in Turkey established him as a major figure, producing 15 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions. He also helped the club lift the Turkish Cup in January 2026.
This season has been markedly more fragmented. A muscular injury and the knee complaint have restricted Asensio to eight matches, five of them in the summer Champions League qualifying rounds. He has scored twice in the Turkish Super League.
He has missed Fenerbahçe’s last three games, including two Champions League league-phase fixtures. One was the 6-0 defeat to Aston Villa, the English club he represented on loan from February to June 2025. The other was Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Slavia Prague.
Aké also sidelined after Slavia Prague draw
Fenerbahçe’s medical concerns extend beyond Asensio. Dutch centre-back Nathan Aké, signed from Manchester City during the summer, was injured against Slavia Prague.
An MRI examination found a moderate strain and swelling in the posterior muscle of his right thigh. Aké is expected to be out for three weeks, adding another absence as the Istanbul side navigate domestic commitments and the European schedule.
