Kocaman stated pre-season that Fenerbahçes long-term aim is to win the Süper Lig. Fenerbahçe will begin the new season in the Champions League Third qualifying round against 2011–12 Liga I Runner-up Vaslui on 1 August 2012, at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. In 2012–13 Season's first match Kocaman's Fenerbahçe salvage late draw against Vaslui on Champions League in Third qualifying round with score 1–1. On 8 August 2012, Kocaman add first win in UEFA competitions in his managerial career against Vaslui on Champions League in Third qualifying round with score 4–1 and Fenerbahçe secured a place in the UEFA Champions League play-off round. On 12 August 2012 Fenerbahçe lose the Süper Kupa final against Galatasaray with score 3–2. On 18 August 2012, in 2012–13 season's Süper Lig first match Kocaman's Fenerbahçe late a draw against Elazığspor with score 1–1. On 21 August 2012, Fenerbahçe lose the play-off round's first match against Spartak Moscow with score 2–1 in UEFA Champions League. On 24 August 2012 the Alex excluded completely from the Saturday roster by coach Kocaman. On 27 August 2012, Fenerbahçe defeated southeastern side Gaziantepspor 3–0 in week two of the Süper Lig on Saturday night for its first domestic league of the season and also for its first win in four official matches. But Saturday's victory was eclipsed by the crisis between Brazilian captain and playmaker Alex and young coach Kocaman, which saw the Brazilian excluded completely from the Saturday roster. For the record: A fit Alex has always been included in the Fener starting XI since he joined the Istanbul club in 2004. Therefore, without the slightest doubt there is something wrong somewhere. The match was played "behind closed doors," meaning adult men were banned, while women and children were allowed in for free. And even the female Fener spectators took sides, asking, "Say Kocaman, where is Alex?" And this prompted Fenerbahçe Chairman Aziz Yıldırım to grab the stadium microphone during the match maybe something unprecedented in football history and say the following: "You are mistaken," he said to the chanting fans. "Respect and support the players on the pitch. No one is greater than Fenerbahçe", he asserted. Yıldırım further said after the match: "I can give my life for Fenerbahçe. No one is above Fenerbahçe, not even Aziz Yıldırım. Players go, Aziz Yıldırım will, everyone will go, but Fenerbahçe will remain," he noted. He later said he has invited Alex