Mason Greenwood was booed repeatedly on his first appearance in an English football stadium since 2022.
Greenwood joined the Turkish giants for £36million from Marseille last summer after being cut from the United first team when he was arrested and charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour in October 2022, before charges and the case were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew. He has denied any wrongdoing.
The former Manchester United player was one of Fenerbahce’s highest-profile signings last summer and he has history with Aston Villa.
Greenwood’s name was booed when the teams were announced and Villa supporters targeted him with chants and catcalls whenever he touched the ball in the early stages.
Operating on the right of Fener’s attack, Greenwood was facing his former Manchester United team-mate Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who had switched to left-back with Ian Maatsen and Matteo Ruggeri injured.
Mason Greenwood (pictured) was roundly booed by Aston Villa fans tonight
There were tussles with Wan-Bissaka in the early exchanges, with Greenwood occasionally dropping much deeper to receive the ball. In the 19th minute, after a burst by the lively Oguz Aydin, Greenwood steered a shot from 20 yards straight at Zion Suzuki.
He has a solitary England cap, from a Nations League meeting in Iceland in September 2020. He is also eligible for Jamaica but last year he decided against accepting the call from then-boss Steve McClaren. Before tonight, Greenwood had six goals in 14 appearances for the Istanbul giants.
This was not the first time Greenwood had crossed swords with Villa, having been hurled to the ground by Tyrone Mings during a pre-season friendly against Marseille in August 2025, following an altercation with Villa midfielder Amadou Onana. Greenwood, 25, was perhaps grateful that the 6ft 5ins Onana missed this match due to injury.
