The UEFA Champions League final was decided on Saturday, with Real Madrid, who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley, winning the biggest trophy in club football. Now attentions turn to the 2024/25 season, where 236 clubs will look to win one of the three European club competitions.
With the first qualifying round draws two weeks away, Extratime Talk will be providing a comprehensive coefficient preview. Between now and then, each country will be previewed, and every club discussed.
In these articles, we will provide an analyses of what to expect from each country in Europe. We will all explore what is on the line from a coefficient standpoint, and the keys to succeeding, in that country’s case.
This first piece of this preview series, we will take a look at the Turkish clubs.
Turkey In Europe: Country Profile
| Previous Season Coefficient (Rank) | 12.000 (8th) |
| Previous Season’s 5-Year Coefficient (Rank) | 38.600 (9th) |
| Starting 5-Year Coefficient (Rank) | 33.600 (9th) |
It has been a splendid last two years for Turkish football in Europe. Last campaign, the country had started 13th in the five-year coefficient ranking. By the end of the qualifying stage, they had reached ninth, which is where they would stay. The four Super Lïg representatives – Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and Adana Demirspor – combined for a stunning 18-4-2 record in qualifying. That paved the way for a second consecutive season where 10.000 or more points were won.
Now with five teams involved, this is shaping up to be a very promising year for Turkish football. Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Trabzonspor, and İstanbul Başakşehir will all take part in what could very well be a record-breaking year for Turkish teams in Europe.
Turkey In Europe: Club Profile
| Club | Qualified As | Round of Entry | Total European Seasons | Last Season’s Performance | 5-Year Club Coefficient (2023/24) | 5-Year Country Coefficient Contribution, 2023/24 (%) |
| Galatasaray | Domestic Champion | UCL Playoff Round, CH Path | 50 | UEL Knockout Round Playoffs | 31.500 | 9.375 (24.29%) |
| Fenerbahçe | Domestic Runner-Up | UCL Q2, League Path | 48 | UECL Quarterfinals | 36.000 | 10.600 (27.46%) |
| Beşiktaş | Cup Winner | UEL Play-off Round | 46 | UECL Group Stage | 12.000 | 3.750 (9.72%) |
| Trabzonspor | Domestic Third Place | UEL Q2 | 32 | N/A | 11.500 | 2.600 (6.74%) |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | Domestic Fourth Place | UECL Q2 | 8 | N/A | 29.000 | 6.800 (17.62%) |
For the second year running, Galatasaray will enter UCL qualifying as champions. This time, they enter two rounds later at the playoff stage. That guarantees them football in the Europa League.
Joining them in UCL qualifying is Fenerbahçe, who enters at the second qualifying round, in the league path. They scored 99 points in the league last season, but somehow still failed to win the title. This path will be much more challenging, but minimum Europa League football should be the goal for them. With José Mourinho now at the helm, there will be a lot of expectations on Fener.
After a dramatic win in the Turkish Cup final, Beşiktaş secured continental football in the fall. They will partake in the expanded Europa League playoff round. A spot in the Conference League’s new league phase is guaranteed for them, but though they will have a realistic shot at UEL football. Despite being unseeded in that round, they will be a side none of the seeded clubs will want to face.
The losing cup finalist Trabzonspor joins Beşiktaş in UEL qualifying, but they have to begin two rounds earlier in Q2. Progress through at least two rounds, and the 2021/22 league champions will enjoy league phase football. They do have the quality to do so, and will have a realistic shot at making the UEL league phase.
Finally, fourth place İstanbul Başakşehir takes the country’s sole Conference League place, also starting in Q2. Having reached the competition’s group stage two years ago, this summer presents them a wonderful opportunity for play in the league phase in the fall.
Season Ambitions
Starting the summer in ninth spot in five-year ranking, the aim should really be to maintain that at the minimum. While Czechia starts less than a point behind, it is quite unlikely that they will be able to better Turkey’s coefficient this term.
However, a year like this presents Turkey with a massive opportunity to start closing in on the countries immediately above them, namely Portugal and Belgium. As a result, the clubs should keep this in mind, and perform to their potential.
Finally, given the sheer strength of the Turkish clubs that qualified for Europe, they could keep a European Performance Spot in mind. It is rather unlikely they will seriously compete for this, but certainly not out of the realms of possibility.
What a Successful Season Would Be for Turkish Football
Given that Turkey has their five strongest clubs in Europe this term, success would be having all of them reach a league phase. This is very attainable, especially considering performances of the last two years.
At least three teams making the knockout rounds should also be a goal. All four Turkish teams who made the group stages in 2021/22 qualified for the knockout stages, with three of them finishing on top. The potential for that to be matched, or even bettered, is quite high.
What to Expect From Turkey in 2024/25
As previously mentioned, the sky really is the limit for the Turkish clubs in Europe. Their three biggest and most historic clubs, the fourth biggest side, and the new kid on the block, are all playing in Europe at the same time.
The only previous occasion this happened was nine years ago, in Başakşehir’s maiden continental journey. Things are very different now versus back then.
Expect at least four of Turkey’s five sides to make a league phase. However, do not be surprised if all five successfully negotiate the qualifiers. From there, depending on which league phase they all make, three or more teams making the knockout stages is very realistic.
Turkish football expert Caner Gündüz, known as Ülke Puanı on X, agrees that a record-breaking coefficient season is looking quite likely. “One of the main reasons we broke the (country’s coefficient) record last year was that we participated with four teams after many years, says Gündüz. “This season, (they) will again have five teams. Since these five teams are (their) most successful ones in Europe, my expectations are positive.“
There is truth in Gündüz’s claim about this quintet being Turkey’s best. After all, they are five of the top six teams to earn the country coefficient points in the last five seasons.
From a coefficient standpoint, ninth place is Turkey’s to lose. Anything worse than that position has to considered a massive disappointment. In fact, if anyone is looking for a dark horse in the race for the European Performance Spots, look no further than the Turks. It may be unlikely, but all that is needed is for all five clubs to be in the league phase draw. Then, anything could happen.