Manchester United’s Europa League campaign hit a roadblock on Thursday night, as the English giants were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Turkish side Fenerbahçe in Istanbul. Despite taking an early lead through midfielder Christian Eriksen, United conceded just after halftime and failed to find a winner, leaving goalkeeper Andre Onana and his teammates deeply unsatisfied with the result.
Onana: “A Big Disappointment”
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Onana did not mince words about the team’s performance and mindset. “It is a big disappointment for me and the fans, for the club,” the Cameroonian shot-stopper lamented. “As a Manchester United player, you have an obligation to try to win. We didn’t win, but at least we didn’t lose. Not happy, of course, but we move on, take responsibility, and go again.”
Onana himself played a crucial role in preserving the draw, making a stunning double save to deny Fenerbahçe striker Youssef En-Nesyri in the second half. Despite this individual brilliance, the keeper remained focused on the team’s shortcomings.
“We conceded an early goal in the second half, we had to show character and I think that is what we did. We didn’t win but I thought we were better than them.”
Andre Onana, Manchester United goalkeeper
Mourinho Sees Red
The match was not without controversy, as Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands for his heated protests after believing his team should have been awarded a second-half penalty. The legendary Portuguese coach sought out referee Clement Turpin after the game, later describing the official’s explanation for not giving the spot-kick as “incredible.”
Ten Hag Focuses on Positives
For United boss Erik ten Hag, however, the focus was on extracting positives from the difficult away result. The Dutchman, who was missing 10 first-team players through injury or suspension, pointed to his side’s resilience as a source of encouragement.
“We’ve shown we are a team which is hard to beat. We can take confidence and take it into the game against West Ham.”
Erik ten Hag, Manchester United manager
Ten Hag did acknowledge that United had let slip an opportunity to claim all three points, stating, “We have to win and we came in the position to win. We created the chances but we have to be killing more. We let the opponent get away with a point.”
Antony Injury Scare
To compound United’s frustrations, Brazilian winger Antony, who had come on as a second-half substitute for Marcus Rashford, was forced off late in the game with an apparent injury. The former Ajax man left the field on a stretcher and was spotted leaving the stadium in a protective boot, raising concerns over his availability for the team’s upcoming Premier League clash with West Ham United on Sunday.
“His training performances are that good that he deserved to come on. When you have to come off so quickly, that is really sad to see. Hopefully, it’s not too bad, we have to wait 24 hours for what the assessment is.”
Erik ten Hag on Antony’s injury
As the dust settles on this disappointing European result, Manchester United must now regroup and refocus their efforts on domestic matters. With the race for Champions League qualification heating up, every point dropped could prove costly in the long run. The Red Devils will need to find a way to turn their dominance in matches into wins, starting with their trip to the London Stadium this weekend.
For Andre Onana and his teammates, the message is clear: learn from the Fenerbahçe setback, take responsibility, and come back stronger. Only then can Manchester United hope to meet the lofty expectations that come with representing one of the world’s biggest clubs.
