Fenerbahçe captain Milan Škriniar suffered a partial groin tear during Thursday’s Europa League playoff match against Nottingham Forest, the club confirmed. The injury casts doubt on the Slovakian defender’s availability for his national team’s crucial World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff in March.
Škriniar was forced off the pitch in the 26th minute of the match, which Nottingham Forest won convincingly, 3-0, at Ulker Stadyumu in Istanbul. Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White secured the victory for Forest, giving them a strong advantage heading into the second leg.
“It looks serious, we’ll see tomorrow. It’s a big problem for us,” Fenerbahçe coach Domenico Tedesco said after the match, offering an initial assessment of the injury.
An MRI scan revealed the partial tear, and Škriniar has already begun treatment, according to a team statement. While Fenerbahçe has not provided a specific return date, Turkish journalist Sercan Hamzaoglu reported that the initial assessment suggests a recovery period of up to four weeks.
The injury occurred during a dominant performance by Nottingham Forest, who controlled the game despite Fenerbahçe having slightly more possession (57-43), according to ESPN’s match report. Vitor Pereira enjoyed a successful debut as Nottingham Forest’s new manager, replacing Sean Dyche last week.
“Definitely the quality of the players,” Pereira said, when asked what impressed him most in his first match, according to UEFA.com. “I asked the players to display themselves on the pitch, but not to forget the organization of the game. They did it and we had the chance to score two more goals. It was a very good result, a consistent game and a deserved win.”
For Slovakia, Škriniar’s absence would be a significant blow ahead of their World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff against Kosovo on March 26th. If Slovakia wins, they will then face either Turkey or Romania for a place in the final tournament. The Europa League playoff result leaves Fenerbahçe with a steep climb to reach the Round of 16.
Škriniar was able to walk off the pitch, but was seen limping, as captured by cameras after the match. The win extends Nottingham Forest’s momentum under their new manager, while Fenerbahçe will need to overcome a significant deficit in the second leg to keep their European hopes alive.
