Fenerbahce faces Lyon in crucial Europa League clash

Fenerbahce is poised to face French giants Olympique Lyon in a pivotal UEFA Europa League match at the Ulker Stadium on Thursday, 8:45 p.m. (local time). With a place in the playoffs on the line, both teams will be eager to secure a victory.

Injuries, suspensions hamper Fenerbahce

The Turkish side will be without several key players because of injuries and suspensions. Defenders Jayden Oosterwolde, Rodrigo Becao, and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic are all sidelined. Additionally, midfielder Mert Muldur will miss the match because of a red card in a previous game.

Furthermore, the UEFA squad did not include players Filip Kostic, Levent Mercan Oguz Aydin and Bartug Elmaz.

Yellow card concerns

Several Fenerbahce players are walking a tightrope with yellow cards. Bright Osayi-Samuel, İsmail Yüksek, Sofyan Amrabat, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Edin Dzeko could miss the next match if they receive a booking.

Expected lineups

• Fenerbahce: Irfan Can, Yusuf, Caglar, Djiku, Osayi, Amrabat, Fred, Szymanski, Tadic, Dzeko, En-Nesyri.
• Olympique Lyon: Perri, Mata, Caleta, Niakhate, Abner, Matic, Veretout, Tolisso, Fofana, Cherki, Lacazette.

Match Preview

• Head-to-head: Fenerbahce has a poor record against Lyon, having lost all 4 previous encounters.
• Home advantage: Fenerbahce is unbeaten in their last 5 home matches against French teams in European competitions.
• Key players: Edin Dzeko is Fenerbahce’s top scorer in the Europa League this season, while Alexandre Lacazette is looking to break Lyon’s all-time European goal-scoring record.