Fenerbahce vs Sturm Graz - prediction, team news, lineups

Fenerbahce volition proceed their quest to marque a long-awaited instrumentality to the Champions League main signifier erstwhile they invited Sturm Graz to Sukru Saracoglu Stadium for the archetypal limb of their 3rd qualifying circular necktie connected Wednesday.

The Turkish hosts edged past Polish outfit Gornik Zabrze 2-1 connected aggregate successful the erstwhile round, portion the Austrian visitors eased past Scottish broadside Hearts 6-0 crossed some legs to scope this stage.

Match preview

Fenerbahce are nary strangers to European competition, but it has present been 18 years since the Istanbul giants past featured successful the Champions League proper, 1 of the fewer achievements that has continued to elude a nine besides enduring a lengthy hold for different Turkish top-flight crown.

Not since lifting the Super Lig rubric successful 2013-14 person the Yellow Canaries finished apical of the home standings, with past play extending that vexation arsenic they ended runners-up for a 5th consecutive campaign, 4 of those down fierce rivals Galatasaray.

That decorativeness earned Fenerbahce different changeable astatine Europe's elite, and Ismail Kartal's men negotiated the erstwhile qualifying circular by edging Gornik Zabrze 1-0 astatine location earlier settling for a 1-1 gully successful Poland, giving the returning manager a winning commencement to his latest spell successful charge.

Tasked with succeeding wherever his 2 contiguous predecessors fell short, Kartal, who replaced Domenico Tedesco successful June, volition anticipation to reconstruct home supremacy portion guiding the nine backmost to the Champions League, with Fener having exited astatine the qualifying play-off circular nether Mourinho the erstwhile summer.

The Yellow Canaries tin besides instrumentality encouragement from their caller grounds astatine Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, wherever they person won 5 of their past 8 competitory fixtures (D3), making location vantage different invaluable plus heading into Wednesday.

However, Fenerbahce volition besides retrieve that their astir caller decision connected this crushed came successful Europe, suffering a 3-0 nonaccomplishment to Nottingham Forest successful the Europa League knockout circular play-offs, and avoiding different setback connected the continental signifier volition beryllium a priority.

Sturm Graz, meanwhile, fell abbreviated of progressing beyond the Europa League league signifier past season, though dissimilar their opponents, they featured successful the Champions League due arsenic precocious arsenic the 2024-25 campaign.

The Blackies person made an awesome commencement to this year's qualification campaign, brushing Hearts speech with a 4-0 first-leg triumph earlier completing the occupation with a 2-0 occurrence successful Edinburgh to comfortably publication their spot successful the 3rd qualifying round.

Sturm Graz’s momentum slowed somewhat astatine the play aft being held to a 1-1 gully by WSG Swarovski Tirol successful the Austrian Bundesliga opener, but Fabio Ingolitsch's broadside stay unbeaten crossed 4 competitory outings this season, signaling 3 victories and 1 draw.

The Austrian outfit volition besides gully assurance from erstwhile meetings with Fenerbahce, having earned a 1-1 gully connected their past sojourn to Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, though they yet exited that Europa League qualifying necktie 3-2 connected aggregate.

Fenerbahce Champions League form:

Sturm Graz Champions League form:

Sturm Graz signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Fenerbahce volition measure the fittingness of Talisca and Nelson Semedo aft some players picked up knocks successful past week's gully with Gornik, portion Vedat Muriqi remains a uncertainty arsenic helium continues his betterment from the musculus wounded sustained during grooming successful mid-July.

Summer accomplishment Mason Greenwood is pushing for his archetypal commencement aft making substitute appearances successful some legs against Gornik, portion N'Golo Kante is backmost successful contention aft returning to afloat grooming pursuing his extended World Cup break.

Sturm Graz stay without Amady Camara due to the fact that of a thigh injury, portion Luca Weinhandl joins Otar Kiteishvili and Nelson Weiper connected the sidelines aft each 3 missed past weekend's league opener.

Szymon Wlodarczyk strengthened his claims for a starting berth aft uncovering the nett against Tirol, portion Jeyland Mitchell is expected to instrumentality to cardinal defence pursuing a play rest.

Fenerbahce imaginable starting lineup:

Gunok; Semedo, Skriniar, Ake, Oosterwolde; Guendouzi, Fred; Kahveci, Asensio, Akturkoglu; Talisca

Sturm Graz imaginable starting lineup:

Khudyakov; Heil, Vallci, Mitchell, Soglo; Seidl, Weinhandl, Stanković, Hödl; Włodarczyk, Jatta

We say: Fenerbahce 2-1 Sturm Graz

Fenerbahce whitethorn not person progressed arsenic convincingly arsenic Sturm Graz successful the erstwhile round, but they made location vantage number erstwhile it mattered and should erstwhile again payment from the ambiance successful Istanbul.

The Austrian visitors person shown capable prime to support the necktie competitive, though the hosts person greater acquisition astatine this level and should instrumentality a constrictive vantage into adjacent week's instrumentality leg.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.