Down by a single aim from the primary leg, Süper Lig powerhouse Fenerbahçe welcome Ligue 1’s Lille to Ülker Stadium on Tuesday, decided to reverse their fortunes within the Champions League third-round qualifying conflict.
A win in Kadıköy sends the Istanbul facet into the playoffs, the place they may face both Union Saint-Gilloise or Slavia Prague.
Seeking to advance to the group stage of their first Champions League marketing campaign below Jose Mourinho, the Yellow Canaries face intense strain to overturn a 2-1 deficit from final week’s first leg in Valenciennes.
Despite being unable to play at Stade Pierre-Mauroy because of the Olympics, Lille managed to safe a late winner in opposition to Mourinho’s facet, leaving Fenerbahçe with a difficult job on house soil.
The Istanbul membership has been in formidable kind this season, with three consecutive wins in aggressive matches. They defeated Swiss facet Lugano 6-4 on mixture within the Champions League’s second qualifying spherical and clinched victory of their Süper Lig opener over the weekend.
Bouncing again from their disappointment in France, Fenerbahçe triumphed over Adana Demirspor with a first-half aim from veteran striker Edin Dzeko, assisted by new signing Allan Saint-Maximin, at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.
Like Lille – whom they’ve but to beat in three encounters, together with two within the 2010-11 Europa League – Fenerbahçe was additionally knocked out within the Conference League quarterfinals final season.
However, they’re decided to safe a spot in Europe’s premier competitors this 12 months.
As Fenerbahçe prepares to host Lille within the second leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying spherical, they’ve been catching eyes with their spectacular house kind in European competitions.
Entering their forty eighth season in Europe, they’ve dominated their European rivals at Ülker Stadium over the previous two seasons, with 13 wins of their final 15 matches in Kadıköy, alongside one draw and one defeat.
After conceding a 79th-minute equalizer in a carefully contested first leg, Edon Zhegrova’s late winner might show essential for Lille’s ambitions of advancing to the ultimate spherical of Champions League qualifying.
Zhegrova, who performed a key position in Lille’s run to the Conference League quarterfinals final season, has positioned his staff favorably forward of a difficult journey to Türkiye.
Following former boss Paulo Fonseca’s departure to AC Milan after main LOSC to fourth in Ligue 1 final season, new head coach Bruno Genesio is now on the helm, guiding the staff’s newest bid for UEFA’s premier membership competitors.
It is been three years since Les Dogues final reached the group stage, and this season’s expanded format guarantees a minimum of eight high-profile matches by January.
However, they have to first navigate Tuesday’s second leg and a possible playoff, alongside their league opener in opposition to Reims on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho made a number of changes for the league victory over Adana Demirspor, however Bright Osayi-Samuel and Alexander Djiku could possibly be reinstated in Fenerbahçe’s beginning lineup on Tuesday.
Fenerbahçe’s assault will likely be spearheaded by veteran striker Edin Dzeko, who has netted 5 objectives in 4 video games this season, with skilled playmaker Dusan Tadic offering assist.
Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri, not too long ago signed from Sevilla, is predicted for use as an impression substitute.
For Lille, Jonathan David, who has been the topic of switch rumors for months, stays with the membership and is about to start out in Istanbul.
Although Leny Yoro and Yusuf Yazıcı departed this summer season, Thomas Meunier has joined from Trabzonspor and can function at proper again.
Despite scoring a stoppage-time winner for LOSC final week, Edon Zhegrova may begin on the bench once more, making a probable cameo look within the second half.
Source: www.dailysabah.com