Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe head to the Netherlands on Thursday evening to face AZ Alkmaar in a crucial Europa League showdown.
It’s a matchup with historical past – the 2 groups final clashed in 2007, an exciting 5-5 UEFA Cup tie that noticed AZ advance on away targets.
But this time, each groups enter below very totally different circumstances.
For AZ Alkmaar, the season has taken a bleak flip.
Following a 3-2 win over Elfsborg to kick off their Europa League marketing campaign, AZ have spiraled with six losses and a single attract seven video games throughout competitions.
That stoop contains latest Europa League losses to Athletic Bilbao (2-0) and Tottenham (1-0), in addition to a 3-2 Eredivisie defeat towards Feyenoord.
Now sitting sixth within the Eredivisie, AZ finds themselves trailing the league leaders by eight factors, they usually languish close to the Europa League’s backside rung, determined for factors to climb from twenty fourth.
AZ’s Dutch residence turf, nonetheless, has been a fortress towards Turkish groups, with three wins and three attracts of their final six conferences.
Maarten Martens’ squad has additionally been prolific at residence, netting of their final 12 matches and scoring two or extra in 9 of these video games – a pattern they hope to hold into Thursday’s sport towards Fenerbahçe.
Fenerbahçe, in the meantime, arrives within the Netherlands in stellar type, unbeaten of their final seven throughout all competitions and displaying grit of their Europa League journey.
The Yellow Canaries kicked off with a 2-1 win over Union SG, then got here from behind to safe 1-1 attracts towards each FC Twente and Manchester United.
These outcomes have stored Mourinho’s aspect aggressive, sitting simply exterior the highest eight within the Europa League desk and presently third in Türkiye Süper Lig after latest wins, together with a spirited 3-2 victory over Trabzonspor.
Notably, Mourinho stirred headlines after that match, vocally criticizing the officiating and claiming the Turkish Süper Lig “smells bad.”
But now, with their focus again on European competitors, Fenerbahçe appears to be like to stretch their unbeaten Europa League run to 11 video games.
In phrases of lineup, AZ can be with out a number of key gamers, together with David Wolfe, suspended after his purple card towards Tottenham, and harm absentees Zico Buurmeester, Ibrahim Sadiq, and Ruben van Bommel.
Star striker Troy Parrott, who had a quick stint below Mourinho at Tottenham, will lead the assault, supported by wingers Ernest Poku and Mayckel Lahdo.
Fenerbahçe will miss Jayden Oosterwolde (ACL) and Cengiz Ünder (groin), whereas Mourinho considers reshuffling his protection, probably bringing again Rodrigo Becao.
The assault will possible be led by Youssef En-Nesyri, who equaled the Moroccan file for targets in European competitions along with his latest tally towards Manchester United.
Source: www.dailysabah.com