In a night of football where a terrifying ghost will forever haunt the memory of Turkish giants Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, both teams experienced an unprecedented onslaught on the European stage, conceding a staggering 11 goals combined.
Without even seeing it coming, Fenerbahçe faced a nightmarish 6-1 defeat against Nordsjaelland in the UEFA Europa Conference League Group H, marking one of their heaviest defeats in European history.
The Yellow Canaries found themselves trailing 2-0 after goals in the 21st and 25th minutes, with Batshuayi managing to pull one back in the 43rd minute but that was as far as they could fly.
Despite a spirited start to the second half, Fenerbahçe failed to capitalize on opportunities.
Nordsjaelland extended their lead with Nygren's goal in the 55th minute and Rasmussen added another in the 66th minute.
The defensive struggles continued for Fenerbahçe, culminating in the opposition scoring the fifth goal in the 75th minute.
Nygren completed his hat trick in the 84th minute, sealing a humiliating 6-1 defeat.
Fenerbahçe's slip down to third place in the group became inevitable after Ludogorets secured a 2-1 victory against Spartak Trnava.
Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic bore the brunt of the defeat, conceding six goals and expressing frustration toward his teammates for lapses in defense.
Despite Livakovic's valiant efforts, the defensive shortcomings proved costly for Fenerbahçe.
The only ray of light for Fenerbahçe came from the boots of Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi, who netted his team's solitary goal.
Batshuayi continued his impressive European campaign, scoring his fifth goal of the season.
His resilience in the face of adversity showcased a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered Turkish side.
Post-match, emotions ran high as Fenerbahçe's Irfan Can Kahveci expressed his discontent, requiring teammates and security guards to calm him down before reluctantly heading to the dressing room.
The anguish extended to the stands, where Fenerbahçe fans left the Right to Dream Park in the 84th minute, disheartened by their team's performance.
The situation escalated further when a torch was thrown onto the field in the 89th minute, temporarily halting the game.
Meanwhile, Beşiktaş faced a 5-0 drubbing against Club Brugge in the UEFA Conference League Group D.
The Black Eagles struggled throughout the match, managing only one accurate shot on target.
Goals from Casper Nielsen, Igor Thiago, Raphael Onyedika, and Andreas Skov Olsen sealed Beşiktaş's fate, leaving them with only one point after five group matches.
The defeat marked the start of Rıza Çalımbay's European coaching journey with Beşiktaş, following the resignations of Şenol Güneş and Burak Yılmaz after previous disappointments.
With the group standings solidifying, Club Brugge, sitting comfortably at the top with 13 points, and Bodo/Glimt with 10 points, are set to battle for leadership on Dec.14.
Unfortunately, both Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş have no chance of progressing, with their European campaigns coming to an early end.
The Turkish football powerhouses will now look to regroup and reflect on a challenging European campaign that left fans and players alike grappling with disappointment.
