Fenerbahçe welcome Nice to Kadıköy on Thursday for a Europa League league phase match that already feels decisive.

Both clubs opened the competition with defeats, both have stumbled for consistency and both arrive in Istanbul knowing another slip could leave their continental ambitions in jeopardy.

For Fenerbahçe, the weight of the moment falls squarely on new manager Domenico Tedesco.

His tenure is still in its infancy, but the frustration that boiled over after last week’s 3-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb revealed just how little patience supporters are willing to show.

The performance in Croatia was flat, the goals conceded soft and the outcry loud – chants demanding his resignation echoed in the aftermath.

It was a baptism by fire for a coach tasked not just with winning, but with delivering the kind of aggressive, dominant football Fenerbahçe’s supporters demand.

The German found a measure of relief days later, when his side brushed aside Antalyaspor 2-0 in the Süper Lig with the kind of display that hinted at progress.

Fenerbahçe pressed high, attacked relentlessly and enjoyed 67% of possession while firing 19 shots, 11 of them on target.

The match showed that Tedesco’s philosophy – built on controlled possession and quick transitions – may yet take root, though Thursday’s test against Nice represents a far sterner examination.

Lose again and Fenerbahçe would open a European campaign with back-to-back defeats for the first time since the 2001-02 Champions League.

History and legacy

History is not without its warnings.

This will be the sixth competitive meeting between these clubs, though the first in over half a century.

Nice have three wins in the series, including a comprehensive victory in the 1973-74 UEFA Cup when they cruised through 4-0 and 2-0 on aggregate.

Fenerbahçe have enjoyed success in Istanbul, however, winning both prior home encounters and will cling to that record as they seek to steady their campaign.

More broadly, the Yellow Canaries have a mixed past against French opposition: 22 games, just four wins, seven draws and 11 defeats.

There is also the matter of milestones.

Thursday will mark Fenerbahçe’s 292nd European fixture and their 150th in the UEFA Cup/Europa League format.

Their continental history has been one of brilliance tempered by heartbreak: 114 wins, 62 draws and 115 losses, with 398 goals scored but 415 conceded. In Kadıköy, though, belief always runs high and belief is exactly what Tedesco must rekindle.

Nice travel east with their own problems.

Last season they surged to fourth place in Ligue 1, only to be humbled in Champions League qualifiers by Benfica, losing 4-0 on aggregate.

The hangover has been difficult to shake. In six league matches this season they have collected only seven points, enough for 12th place and their inability to finish games has been costly.

Last weekend against Paris FC they looked poised for a morale-boosting win until conceding an 88th-minute penalty that forced a 1-1 draw.

Franck Haise’s team is now winless in three and worse still, their Europa League away record is dismal: 10 consecutive defeats stretching back more than a decade.

If they are to escape Kadıköy with anything, it will require breaking one of European football’s most stubborn curses.

Team news offers Fenerbahçe both reassurance and frustration.

Anderson Talisca is available again after serving his suspension against Dinamo Zagreb, while Edson Alvarez has shaken off a muscle problem to rejoin the squad.

Colombian forward Jhon Duran, however, remains out of contention. Sebastian Szymanski carries the attacking spark, having scored in back-to-back matches and three times in Fenerbahçe’s last two European outings.

Nice’s situation is more precarious.

Midfielder Hicham Boudaoui hobbled off in their last league match, leaving his status in doubt.

They are already without Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Mohamed Abdelmonem, both sidelined by cruciate ligament injuries, while Tanguy Ndombele’s availability remains uncertain after a weekend knock.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.

SIGN ME UP

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.