Historical success for Samsunspor: Under coach Thomas Reis, the Turkish club qualifies for the European Cup for the first time.
Samsunspor has achieved historical: for the first time in the club’s history, the club from the Black Sea qualifies for a European competition. This was made possible by Galatasaray’s cup victory, which is already qualified for the Champions League – which is where the fourth place in the table from Samsunspor justifies international participation.
“Another dream comes true!” The club cheered on social media. “We kept, believed and won – now our journey through Europe begins.” The moment is immortalized “with golden letters” in the club annals.
Rice effect: from the Gisdol heritage to the European Cup
Thomas Reis, who took over the office of Markus Gisdol at the beginning of the season, led Samsunspor one of the greatest achievements in club history. The team is currently rank four behind the Turkish top clubs Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas-a milestone for the former UI Cup participant.
Whether Samsun will start in the UEFA Europa League or in Conference League in the coming season depends on the last days of the game. One thing is certain: Europe can look forward to a new face.
Brief review: Europe’s stage was taboo so far
So far, Samsunspor has had hardly any international experience: In the late 1990s, the club was represented in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, which has now been set – against HSV and Werder Bremen. Now there is a real European Cup adventure.