Evan Ndicka believes Roma deserved more than a point from their 1-1 Champions League draw with Fenerbahçe in Istanbul.
Speaking to Sky Sport after the match, the defender praised Roma’s performance and explained how the Giallorossi dealt with the physical threat presented by Vedat Muriqi and Romelu Lukaku.
Roma controlled long periods of the game and took the lead through Bryan Cristante, but Archie Brown’s second-half equalizer prevented Gian Piero Gasperini’s team from celebrating a victory on their return to the Champions League after seven years.
Ndicka discusses physical battle with Muriqi and Lukaku
Ndicka was asked about competing with two powerful centre-forwards during an intense match in Istanbul.
“Yes, because they are physically strong players,” Ndicka said. “I don’t go looking for those kinds of situations, but if they come into contact with me, what am I supposed to do? I have to defend, so okay, we will use our physical strength as well.”
The Ivory Coast international played at the centre of Roma’s three-man defence alongside Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso.
Fenerbahçe regularly attempted to attack Roma on the counter, forcing the Giallorossi defenders into several difficult individual duels. Mile Svilar also made a series of important stops and was named Roma Daily’s Man of the Match in Istanbul.
Ndicka: Roma produced a very positive performance
Despite Fenerbahçe creating dangerous opportunities during the second half, Ndicka felt Roma’s overall display deserved a better result.
“It was a very positive performance for me, very positive,” he said. “We had the ball and did more. They stayed very deep, and it is difficult when there are eight or nine players defending so close to their goal.”
“We tried, and then they played on the counterattack. We deserved more, but we will take this point and move forward.”
His assessment echoed Gasperini’s post-match analysis, with the Roma coach describing the result as useful while acknowledging that his team must improve when defending in a deeper position.
Roma determined to win on every ground
The atmosphere inside the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium was expected to provide Roma with one of their most difficult challenges of the league phase.
Ndicka insisted that the hostile environment did not change the team’s objective.
“Yes, we were focused from the beginning of the match,” he explained. “Of course, they were their supporters, but for us it changes nothing. We came here to win, and we go to every stadium looking to win.”
Roma ultimately returned from Turkey with one point and remain unbeaten at the beginning of the 2026/27 season.
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