Mohamed Salah makes first start for Trabzonspor in Europa League loss

Mohamed Salah has made his first start for Trabzonspor in a UEFA Europa League play-off match against Ferencvaros. Despite Salah's inclusion in the starting eleven, Trabzonspor suffered a 0-1 defeat at home, with Zachariassen scoring the winning goal for the Hungarian side. Manager Fatih Tekke expressed confidence that the team can still advance despite the loss.

Salah's transfer to the Turkish club has generated significant cultural and commercial interest. In Egypt, his number 10 Trabzonspor jersey is being widely sold in Cairo's Han el-Halili market, priced between 400 and 500 Egyptian pounds. Additionally, a transfer announcement video featuring Salah enjoying traditional Black Sea cuisine, such as kuymak, has boosted local gastronomic interest and tourism curiosity.

In a notable human-interest story, Isaac Kearney, a young Liverpool fan with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, was invited to Trabzon by the club. After previously meeting Salah and Virgil van Dijk in England, Kearney met the Egyptian star at the training facilities and later appeared before thousands of fans at Papara Park.