By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After a foot bone fracture on Tuesday, during the meeting with Safiport Erokspor in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 Ziraat Bankasi Turkiye Kupasi, Fenerbahce Beko veteran Nicolo Melli will undergo surgery, according to a report from Yagız Sabuncuoglu on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old’s procedure carries a recovery timeline of six to eight weeks, effectively sidelining him for the remainder of the 2025–26 EuroLeague Regular Season. His absence leaves a significant void in the rotation just as continental competition enters its final stretch.
Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius is expected to increase the workloads of the remaining frontcourt options as the team navigates crucial fixtures in both the EuroLeague and the Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi.
🚨 Fenerbahçe Beko’da Nicolo Melli’nin ayak kemiğinde çatlak tespit edildi.
❌ Deneyimli uzun en az 6-8 hafta sahalardan uzak kalacak.
(via Yağız Sabuncuoğlu) pic.twitter.com/rotFKSWz2r
— Eurohoops Türkiye (@EurohoopsTR) February 18, 2026
In his 14th EuroLeague campaign, fresh off last season’s championship, the Italian big has averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over 27 appearances, including 18 starts. Beyond his European legacy and a total of 370 EuroLeague games, Melli also brings the experience of 108 NBA games between 2019 and 2021.
The Reggio Emilia native joins Devon Hall (knee), Chris Silva (quad), and Jilson Bango (knee) on the sidelines. Despite the injuries, Fener remains the team to beat, currently sitting atop the EuroLeague standings at 20–7 and leading the BSL with an 18–2 record.
The next assignment is the Final Four of the Turkish Cup. They face Turk Telekom at the Sinan Erdem Dome this Friday, with a potential final scheduled for Sunday as they look to defend their title.