Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium is a football stadium in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul, Turkey, and is the home venue of Fenerbahçe S.K. football club. It was inaugurated in 1908 and was renovated in 1999 and again in 2006, increasing the capacity to today’s 50.500. On October 4, 2006, after numerous inspections by the UEFA, Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was selected to host the 2009 UEFA Cup Final. During the past season 2009-2010 the pitch has been a major problem. Therefore, the Fenerbahçe board decided to remove the existing pitch, rejuvenate the existing layers and install a new natural grass. The project is awarded to the Turkish company Ilmek Inşaat, a young, professional Turkish company, and consists of the total reconstruction of the pitch as well as the installation of a heating system and the integration of an irrigation system.

Fenerbahce has chosen to install synthetic turf around the new natural grass pitch. For this purpose GreenFields will supply the REAL FT 45 v-slide. This synthetic turf with a V-shaped fiber, is an innovation inspired by nature, replicating the shape of natural grass. More and more this type of synthetic turf becomes the first choice to play on.

Just like natural grass-stems the patented v-shape with a backbone provides resilience and strength at the same time. As a consequence players will experience natural playing characteristics: superior ball roll, familiar ball bounce, natural resistance, and sliding friendly surface. Synthetic turf systems with v-shaped fibers can hardly be distinguished from natural turf.

Unlike conventional flat shaped fibres, the v-shaped fiber allows players to kick a ball in a natural way. Due to the shape and the strength of the backbone, the ball is carried by the fibres leaving enough space for the players to get their foot under the ball. This allows for players to kick a ball as they are used to. In combination with a natural look and feel and a soft and natural touch, players will feel “at home” and enjoy the game just like on natural turf, but with the extended advantages of synthetic turf.