The unlikely best team in Europe – who had won ALL 19 of their matches this season – are finally beaten after suffering 3-2 defeat at home

• Turkish club Fenerbahce had made an unblemished start to their season
• They finally dropped their first points of the season in a 3-2 loss to Trabzonspor
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’

Fenerbahce’s flawless start to the new campaign came to a screeching halt on Saturday night as suffered a 3-2 home defeat to Trabzonspor. 

The Istanbul giants game into the tie with an unblemished record of 19 wins from 19 games in all competitions but were undone by the resilient away side. 

Former Southampton forward Paul Onuachu broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes before a quick-fire double from Berat Ozdemir and ex-Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe put the tie out of reach just after the break. 

To Fenerbahce’s credit they mounted a respectable comeback as Saints and Ajax oldboy Dusan Tadic hit back with two goals from the penalty spot, either side of a Ismail Yutsek sending off. 

Despite winning their first 10 league games, the defeat sees Fenerbahce fall behind Istanbul rivals Galatasaray, whose record stands at 10 wins and one draw from their opening 11 fixtures. 

Ex-Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal for Trabzonspor

Former Southampton midfielder Dusan Tadic scored two penalties to give Fenerbahce hope

37-year-old Edin Dzeko, formerly of Manchester City, failed to add to his tally on Saturday

Fenerbahce’s line-up vs Ludogorets 

Former UK-based players in bold 

Egribayat; Osayi-Samuel, Becao, Dijku, Oostewolde; Zajc, Crespo, Fred; Tadic, Batshuayi, Kent 

Other former UK-based players include: Edin Dzeko, Joshua King 

Coach Ismail Kartal, who returned to the Şukru Saracoglu Stadium for a third spell in the summer, and his squad packed full with plenty of familiar names to Premier League fans will be ruing their first dropped points of the season. 

The home side were without the Brazilian midfielder Fred, signed from Manchester United at the start of the season, who has featured in 14 of those 19 games and provided five goal assists in a bright start to life in Turkey.

Up front, they have the former Chelsea man Michy Batshuayi, who joined last year and has scored four goals in their European campaign so far. 

Batshuayi came off the bench on Saturday night but was unable to add to his tally. Another familiar name is the Bosnian, ex-Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko, signed from Inter Milan in the summer.

Dzeko may now be 37 but he’s finding Turkish football very much to his liking with 12 goals and seven assists so far since his arrival.

Another of Fenerbahce’s attacking options is Joshua King, the former Man United academy graduate who went on to play for Blackburn, Bournemouth, Everton and Watford. He’s netted four times already this season but has been sidelined with a muscle tear for four weeks. 

Tadic, who spent four years at St Mary’s, plays in their midfield having joined in July following five successful years at Ajax.

On the wing can be found Ryan Kent, the Englishman signed from Rangers in June and who seems to be favoured for the European games.

Fenerbahce were without Manchester United oldboy Fred who was out with a groin injury

Ex-Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi came on in the 73rd minute but could not affect the game

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Ismail Kartal saw his side drop points for the first time this season following 19 straight wins

At right-back is Bright Osayi-Samuel, who joined them from Queens Park Rangers two years ago.

The successful start comes despite an extensive turnover of personnel during the summer.

Wonderkid Arda Guler, 18, was sold to Real Madrid for £17million plus potential add-ons, while first-choice goalkeeper Altay Bayindir moved to Man United.

That money was quickly reinvested with the likes of Fred, Turkish winger Cengiz Under and Polish midfield Sebastian Szymanski brought in. Kent, Dzeko and Tadic were all free signings.

Fenerbahce will be looking to get back to winning way in the Europa Conference League against Ludogorets on Thursday before continuing their league campaign against Mario Ballotelli’s Adana Demirspor next week. 

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