Fenerbahce take on the visitors Nottingham in the first leg of UEFA Europa League round of 1/16-finals. The match will be played on Thursday, February 19th at Chobani Stadium Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu (Istanbul).
Fenerbahce have been unable to reclaim the league title for more than a decade. The gamble on Mourinho ahead of last season clearly failed, as after the disappointing 2024/2025 campaign Jose once again exited the Champions League qualifiers with his team. Domenico Tedesco, who replaced the Special One, has been far more successful. He defeated Galatasaray, their long-time rival and main, more decorated competitor, in the Super Cup in January and reignited the title race domestically. In the Europa League, the Turkish side started with a defeat away in Zagreb against Dinamo, but after that lost only to Aston Villa, while recording three draws and three wins. Recently, Fenerbahce have shown growing confidence, especially at home, where their results have been consistently strong. Their current run suggests a team that is comfortable controlling matches and pushing the tempo when needed.
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Nottingham Forest look quite solid at the moment. The Foresters were aiming for a sensation a year ago, spending a long spell confidently inside the top four. In the end, they finished only seventh, and disappointed owners dismissed Nuno Espirito Santo in the autumn, replacing him unsuccessfully with Postecoglou. He failed to win a single match in more than a month, and was eventually replaced by Dyche, who has gradually managed to stabilize the situation. This improvement was also reflected in the Europa League. After an opening home draw with Betis and an away defeat to Midtjylland, the English side went on to win four matches, alongside a goalless draw away to Sturm and a narrow 0–1 loss at Braga. That was more than enough to secure a place in the playoffs, although just before they began a new coach arrived once again, with Vitor Pereira now in charge. Overall, Forest have looked more resilient in recent weeks, even if their away form remains uneven. They tend to stay competitive in most matches, which keeps them dangerous despite mixed results.
Although the English club has had glorious periods in its history, they have not played in European competitions for a long time, so it is no surprise that they have never previously visited Istanbul. The more experienced Turkish side, especially at home, are naturally considered favorites. However, the visitors also have their strengths, so the pick is total over 2.5 goals.
Prediction for the match: Over 2.5 scored goals.
