Fenerbahce's defensive plan ahead of the derby takes shape

Fenerbahce will face Galatasaray away in Week 9 of the Trendyol Super Lig on Monday, October 26. Ahead of this big derby, which closely affects the title race, the yellow and navy side is weighing options at the back.

Nathan Ake was injured and taken off in the UEFA Champions League match against Slavia Prague and will not be available for the derby. This led head coach Ismail Kartal to work on a new plan. The question of which player will take the Dutch defender's place has become a matter of curiosity.

One of the options Kartal is considering is using Archie Brown at left centre-back. In this scenario, the Englishman's pace and athleticism are seen as a key advantage against Victor Osimhen's runs behind the defence. If Brown moves into the middle, Levent Mercan is expected to play at left-back.

Another alternative is to give Kojo Oppong a start. The Ghanaian defender came on after Ake's injury in the Slavia Prague match. If Oppong plays at centre-back, moving Brown back to left-back will come up. However, in this option, the young player's performance against Osimhen will be decisive.

At the heart of Fenerbahce's defensive plan for the derby is reducing Osimhen's impact. The options include using Brown in central defence to benefit from his pace, or giving Oppong a role and keeping the current setup. The yellow and navy side's choice will become clear after the training sessions before the derby.