Jose Mourinho leads Fenerbahce against Lugano in Champions League

Fenerbahce, led by renowned coach Jose Mourinho, is set to face FC Lugano in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.

The game will take place at the Stockhorn Arena in Thun, Switzerland, at 9:30 p.m. local time and marks Mourinho’s first official game with the Turkish club.

Fenerbahce’s new transfers, lineup for Champions League

Fenerbahce’s new signings, Allan Saint-Maximin, Cenk Tosun, and Oguz Aydin, have joined the UEFA squad list.

However, Saint-Maximin will miss the first match because of injury. Tosun and Aydin are available and await Mourinho’s decision on their participation.

Mourinho will field a lineup comprising last season’s players.

The expected starting eleven for Fenerbahce includes Dominik Livakovic, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Caglar Soyuncu, Alexander Djiku, Jayden Oosterwolde, Bartug Elmaz, Fred, Sebastian Szymanski, Dusan Tadic, Edin Dzeko.

Jose Mourinho expressed his determination ahead of the match. Speaking at Thun Arena, he stated: “Istanbul’s return leg is not on my mind; the goal is to win here.” Mourinho emphasized the positive working environment he has found at Fenerbahce since his arrival.

Fenerbahce aims to return to the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2008-2009 season. If they overcome Lugano, they will face Lille from France next. Lille finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, posing a significant challenge for the Turkish side.

Fenerbahce’s Champions League history

Fenerbahce’s record in Champions League qualifiers is mixed, with 12 wins, 11 draws, and 11 losses from 34 matches.

Against Swiss teams, they have a favorable record, winning four out of six encounters.

Their last meeting with Lille in European competition was during the 2009-2010 UEFA Europa League, where Lille eliminated them.

Where to watch Fenerbahce vs FC Lugano match?

Fans can watch the match live on D-Smart and D-Smart GO. Coverage starts after lunch with pre-match analysis, including highlights from Fenerbahce’s previous games and expert commentary.

The match begins at 9:30 p.m. for Türkiye (GMT +3), at 6:30 p.m. (GMT).