“Had everything I needed”
German coach lived on the training ground
11/24/2025 – 8:44 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Domenico Tedesco’s start in Istanbul was turbulent. The coach has now arrived at Fenerbahçe – and also has his own apartment.
Domenico Tedesco lived at the training ground for five weeks during his early days at Fenerbahçe Istanbul. “I had everything I needed there: my office, a small room with a bed, a closet, a television, a couch and a small bathroom,” said the trainer, who has German and Italian citizenship, in an interview with the “Bild” newspaper.
At the time, Fenerbahçe had a game every three days, and Tedesco found life on site to be “perfect”. The 40-year-old now lives in a small apartment in the Asian part of Istanbul in Kadıköy.
The former coach of FC Schalke 04 (2017 to 2019) and RB Leipzig (2021 to 2022) only took up the position in Istanbul at the beginning of September – previously star coach José Mourinho had to leave after “Fener” missed qualifying for the Champions League.
And Tedesco’s start was anything but smooth. After just under three weeks in office, there was speculation about an end. The Turkish top club only managed one win in their first four games, and at the start of the Europa League there was a demoralizing 1:3 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.
But it was to remain the only bankruptcy for the time being. Fenerbahçe was able to win nine wins from a total of 14 competitive games. In the Süper Lig, the club is still in second place without a defeat, with one point difference to Galatasaray (32 points). “You can tell that the fans are hungry for success,” said Tedesco. He himself is approached on the street, gains the trust of the supporters and is supposed to make the team champions. “I’m aware that if you work for such a big club, you should be successful,” the coach continued.
Fenerbahçe is currently on the right track. Whether it’s enough for the championship remains to be seen, but: “I’m not turning down the title,” said Tedesco in a positive mood.