Fenerbahçe: Asensio out 3 months after surgery, Aké 3 weeks

Turkish club Fenerbahçe said in an official statement on 21 October 2026 that Spanish midfielder Marco Asensio had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to need around three months of treatment and rehabilitation. The same statement said Dutch defender Nathan Aké, who was hurt against Slavia Prague on 20 October 2026, had been diagnosed with a moderate strain and swelling in his right hamstring after an MRI scan. The club expects his recovery to take about three weeks.

The Süper Lig side lose two key players at the same time. Asensio had been among the team's goal contributors, while Aké had been an ever-present in the league defence this season. Fenerbahçe's next game is the Istanbul derby away at Galatasaray on 26 October 2026.

What happened to Asensio?

Marco Asensio had surgery in Spain on cartilage damage in his left knee, with Fenerbahçe's club doctor present. The club described the operation as successful. The decision to operate had been announced earlier, when team doctor Ahmet Kulduk explained that the problem was a cartilage lesion behind the kneecap and that outside specialists had agreed surgery was needed.

According to ScoreLab data, the 30-year-old started all 3 of his Süper Lig appearances in 2026/27, playing 187 minutes. He scored in his last two league games: the 4-2 home win over Konyaspor on 22 August 2026 and the 3-0 victory at Rizespor on 10 October 2026. Turkish daily Sabah reports he had 2 goals and 1 assist in 8 games and 402 minutes across all competitions. The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain player has won the Champions League 3 times.

How long will Nathan Aké be out?

Nathan Aké is expected to miss around three weeks. The Dutch centre-back went off in the first half of the 2-2 Champions League draw with Slavia Prague on 20 October 2026 and, according to ScoreLab data, lasted only 21 minutes. An MRI at Ataşehir Medicana Hospital and an examination by the club doctor found a moderate strain and swelling in his right hamstring.

His absence is a blow to the back line. ScoreLab data shows the 31-year-old started all 8 of Fenerbahçe's Süper Lig games this season and played all 720 minutes. His pass accuracy of 94.62 per 90 puts him in the 99th percentile among league players in his position. Sabah reports that Aké, signed at the start of the season, has played 1416 minutes in 17 games across all competitions. The Netherlands international, capped 62 times, won 6 Premier League titles and 1 Champions League.

Will Aké play in the Galatasaray derby?

Fenerbahçe have not given an exact return date for Aké, but the three-week timeframe they announced covers the derby against Galatasaray on 26 October 2026. According to ScoreLab's fixture list, Fenerbahçe also play Göztepe and Liverpool in that period. Asensio's three-month timeframe covers most of the autumn schedule. Fenerbahçe's upcoming fixtures:

1. 26 October 2026 — Galatasaray v Fenerbahçe (Süper Lig)
2. 31 October 2026 — Fenerbahçe v Göztepe (Süper Lig)
3. 4 November 2026 — Fenerbahçe v Liverpool (Champions League)
4. 8 November 2026 — Çorum Belediyespor v Fenerbahçe (Süper Lig)
5. 22 November 2026 — Kocaelispor v Fenerbahçe (Süper Lig)

The club's timeframes are estimates, and both players' return dates will depend on how they respond to treatment. ScoreLab will update this article as new medical updates come out.