Dirk Kuyt is set to face Liverpool again next Wednesday after being appointed interim head coach of Fenerbahce, following Ismail Kartal's resignation on Tuesday.
Kuyt, who played for the Turkish club from 2012 after six seasons at Anfield where he scored 71 goals in 285 appearances, will take charge of Fenerbahce for Saturday's home league match against Goztepe. Reports in Turkey suggest he will remain in charge until at least the international break, which would include the Champions League fixture against Liverpool in Istanbul and a league match at Corum.
Kartal's departure
Kartal ended his fourth spell as Fenerbahce boss, which began in June, after Monday's 2-1 defeat to Istanbul rivals and current Turkish league leaders Galatasaray. That loss left Fenerbahce fifth in the table, six points off the top, after three defeats in nine matches.
Kuyt rejoined the club as Kartal's assistant in June, having previously managed Feyenoord's under-19 side and the senior teams of ADO Den Haag, Beerschot and FC Dordrecht.
Champions League context
Fenerbahce, whose squad includes former Premier League players such as Ederson, Nelson Semedo, Nathan Ake, N'Golo Kante, Matteo Guendouzi, Mason Greenwood, Marco Asensio and Romelu Lukaku, have drawn with Roma and Slavia Prague in this season's Champions League and lost 6-0 at Aston Villa.
Liverpool sit third in the Champions League table with three wins from three, having beaten Atletico Madrid and Villarreal at Anfield and won 6-3 at Austrian side LASK.
Kuyt's Fenerbahce and Liverpool legacy
As a player, Kuyt scored 37 goals in 130 appearances in three seasons for Fenerbahce, winning the league title and Turkish Cup. He is the Netherlands' eighth-most capped player of all time with 104 appearances and remains highly regarded at Anfield for his wholehearted approach, having returned to Merseyside for LFC Legends events since retiring.
