Three teams from Turkey, Galatasaray,Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor are going to play their first leg match in the UEFA Europa League play-off round , on Thursday.
Out of three Trabzonspor team will have the world's attention because they will face the world class team, Liverpool.
Liverpool, just like Fenerbahce , missed the chance to play in the Champions League..
The last time two team met it was 34 years ago...
In the first match, than, Trabzonspor the Cinderella team pulled the upset and beat Liverpool Anfield Road stadium!
In that match , now the coach of the Trabzonspor and Former Turkish National team coach Senol Gunes was in goal for Trabzonspor.
That time, coach of the Trabzonspor was Ahmet Suat Ozyazici now Senol Gunes's Technical Advisor....
(Trabzonspor Team Chairman Sadri Sener ,Technical Advisor Ahmet Suat Ozyazici(coach of 1976 Trabzonspor Team) and coach Senol Gunes in the Anfiled Road Stadium)
It is so coincidence that Senol Gunes's career turn around with Trabzonspor, again!
Actually forgotten Senol Gunes was remembered by Trabzonspor and pulled away from his coaching job in the South Korea to coach to Trabzonspor in the late part of the last season!
He finally got the attention from his home town team ..........
His coming back to Trabzon was little late but well deserved!
That Senol Gunes, after winning the Turkish Cup, earned to play in the UEFA Europa League play-off round.
Who would thought, Senol Gunes will be the coach of Trabzonspor and they will face World class Liverpool again, after 34 years?
That is why this is got to be so special for Senol Gunes...
This does not happened all the time!
But, Trabzonspor lost to second leg match to Liverpool at home with 0-3 score...
34 years ago Things were much different in Trabzon and Turkey!
Then, Trabzonspor played most of their matches on the dirt fields....
They did not have grass fields!
A lot of things has changed since than......
Trabzonspor knows that the task is a difficult this time,,,,
Liverpool may be arguably the most difficult opponent in the Europa League playoff but Trabzonspor has established a good team under Senol Gunes.
They have a lot of good talents on the team......
My only worry with Trabzonspor is their young keeper Onur Kivrak!
This is going to be his biggest match in his career ....
He is good keeper but, can he handle the pressure of Anfield Road stadium?
That is the biggest question mark.....
If Trabzonspor wants to win or draw this match Onur Kivrak should play flawlessly.