Zaragoza scored in each half in Spain as Anelka contributed precious little, and all his team-mates could muster was a late consolation from Brazilian defender Alex.
Fener remain two points clear at the top of the Turkish league with 13 games remaining so Anelka - if he decides to stay there - should experience some Champions League football next season.
Still, having failed to make the last 16 of the UEFA Cup you could argue that Anelka’s club are no better then Middlesbrough or Newcastle - hardly the ‘big club’ he was hoping for when he announced that it was time for him to leave City.
I, for one, don’t blame him for wanting to move on though.
He came to us when we were a newly-promoted club with grand plans and money to burn. Kevin Keegan certainly delivered in the transfer market, but after his first season - the last at Maine Road - Keegan didn’t deliver the results.
Our UEFA Cup campaign last season was painfully short-lived, and a reasonable FA Cup run aside, we underachieved big-time domestically, almost getting dragged into the relegation zone.
Although we improved this season, it was clear as we approached Christmas that we’d need an extraordinary run of form to qualify for Europe - and it remains the same now.
Throughout all this, for the most part the Frenchman kept quiet and got on with his job. At City he showed he is a world-class striker and he maintained a decent scoring record, although it was often clear by his subdued - often non-existent - goal celebrations that he didn’t really want to be here.
After 2-and-a-half years’ service, I think he was within his rights to request a move, but not the way he did. Once he ruled himself injured for the Arsenal game there was no turning back - there was no way he could play for City again.
Thank God then we got rid of him in time in January. To his surprise though, Europe’s finest didn’t come calling, and he had to settle for Fenerbahce.
He was badly advised when he chose to leave Arsenal as a 20-year-old and his decision to hasten his City exit before the summer was ill-informed too, so you have to feel for him, as it looks like he’ll suffer another spell of misery in Turkey.
It’s a shame that at almost 26, one of the game’s biggest talents looks set to go on unfulfilled. But maybe, just maybe, Nico - next time it’ll work out.