Turkish Süper Lig outfit, Fenerbahçe are poised for an exhilarating showdown as they set foot on Belgian soil to tackle Union Saint-Gilloise within the UEFA Europa Conference League spherical of 16 on Thursday.
The conflict marks the first-ever encounter between the Turkish giants and their Belgian counterparts.
With each side eyeing a pivotal victory, the stage is ready for an exhilarating bout forward of the return leg slated for March 14, in Istanbul.
The journey to this stage has been nothing wanting a rollercoaster experience for the Yellow Canaries.
Their European marketing campaign commenced with a flurry of qualifiers within the UEFA Conference League, overcoming Zimbru, Maribor and Twente to safe a spot within the group stage.
In Group H, they battled in opposition to Nordsjaelland, Ludogorets and Spartak Trnava, clinching the highest spot with 4 wins and two losses.
With 13 targets scored and 11 conceded, the Istanbul aspect stamped their authority, progressing to the spherical of 16 with 12 factors within the bag.
This fixture marks Fenerbahçe’s 267th look in European competitions, highlighting their first rate legacy on the continental stage.
Over the years, they’ve amassed 105 victories, shared the spoils in 55 encounters, and tasted defeat on 106 events.
For Fenerbahçe, familiarity breeds confidence within the Conference League enviornment.
Their upcoming bout in opposition to Union Saint-Gilloise will probably be their fifteenth outing within the match, with a commendable report of 10 wins and 4 losses.
However, they’re conscious of their defensive duties, having conceded 19 targets in earlier campaigns regardless of discovering the online 38 instances.
Facing Belgian opposition isn’t uncharted territory for Fenerbahçe, who’ve locked horns with groups from the area on eight events.
A notable fixture in opposition to Anderlecht in numerous European competitions has yielded blended outcomes, with 4 wins, three attracts, and a solitary defeat of their ledger.
In distinction, Union Saint-Gilloise arrive at this tie atop the Belgian League standings, with 21 wins, 5 attracts, and two losses in 28 matches.
Unbeaten of their final 22 league outings, they’ve asserted their dominance with 61 targets scored and 29 conceded, setting the stage for an enthralling contest in opposition to their Turkish counterparts.
The Belgian outfit’s European journey has been equally first rate, navigating by way of the Europa League playoffs earlier than being relegated to the Conference League.
A resilient efficiency in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt within the spherical of 16 playoffs epitomized their grit, securing passage to the subsequent spherical with a hard-fought victory.
As the highlight shines on Fenerbahçe’s talismanic figures, Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi leads the cost with 5 targets within the Conference League this season.
Supported by the likes of Edin Dzeko, Dusan Tadic and Irfan Can Kahveci, they’re poised to unleash their attacking prowess in opposition to Union Saint-Gilloise in pursuit of European glory.
Source: www.dailysabah.com