Preview: Fenerbahce vs Gornik Zabrze - prediction, team news, lineups

Turkish giants Fenerbahce kick off a fresh continental campaign on Tuesday, when Gornik Zabrze visit Istanbul for the first leg of a crucial Champions League qualifier.

After finishing runners-up in their respective domestic divisions last season, both clubs enter in the second round - three steps away from the prestigious league phase.

Match preview

Once again, Fenerbahce finished second in the Turkish Super Lig last term, losing out to old foes Galatasaray in another fierce title race between the two Istanbul clubs.

After losing in the Champions League playoffs, Jose Mourinho was dismissed, before the veteran coach took over at Benfica, who had dumped Fener out.

Former Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco then claimed the reins, leading his new team to runners-up spot in Turkey's top tier and through to the Europa League knockout rounds, where they were eliminated by Nottingham Forest.

Tedesco subsequently left for Bologna, so Ismail Kartal has returned for his fourth spell in charge, overseeing a busy summer on the transfer scene.

Millions have been dished out to acquire the likes of Vedat Muriqi, Nathan Ake and Mason Greenwood, the latter of whom cost a club record fee.

It has been a promising start, as three warm-up friendlies brought 11 goals and consecutive wins - last time out, Fener beat LASK Linz 2-1 in Austria.

Meanwhile, Gornik Zabrze won one, lost one and drew one during pre-season, before losing 3-1 to Lech Poznan in Thursday's Polish Super Cup.

The Miners had qualified for that clash by winning their first major trophy in 38 years, as 40-year-old local hero Lukas Podolski lifted the cup.

Already into the thick of competitive action again - with Podolski having switched from club captain to president - Gornik now face a tough qualifying tie in the Champions League.

Should they defeat Fenerbahce over two legs, Michal Gasparik's men would set up a third-round clash with one of Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Hearts or NEC Nijmegen.

Winning that would send them into a playoff to reach the league phase; alternatively, failure at this stage will drop them down to the Europa League qualifiers.

European Cup quarter-finalists back in 1968, Gornik have made much less impact on UEFA competitions in recent years, and they have been absent for eight seasons.

Now resurgent, they almost topped a tight Ekstraklasa table last term, but Lech Poznan pipped them to first place; even so, securing silverware and a rare European adventure was a big consolation.

Fenerbahce pre-season form:

W W W

Gornik Zabrze form (all competitions):

Team News

In his first competitive match since returning to the club, Fenerbahce boss Kartal is expected to field a front four of Marco Asensio, Irfan Can Kahveci, Talisca and Kerem Akturkoglu.

Summer signing Sidiki Cherif could also be involved from the bench after scoring twice during pre-season, but fellow new boys Muriqi, Ake and Greenwood were not included in the squad.

N'Golo Kante is also absent, having just finished a marathon World Cup campaign with France, but captain Milan Skriniar is fit and ready to lead the hosts from centre-back.

Meanwhile, Gornik Zabrze goalkeeper Tomasz Loska is suspended for this week's first leg; Philipp Schulze will start between the posts.

Midfielder Jaroslaw Kubicki fractured an arm during the Super Cup defeat to Lech Poznan, potentially sidelining him for the next two months.

Though star man Lukas Ambros has been sold to Anderlecht for a club-record fee, Slovakian forward Emil Prekop subsequently arrived from Slavia Prague and should feature up front.

Former Bologna midfielder Kacper Urbanski has also joined on a free transfer from Legia Warsaw, and the Poland international is set to start in Istanbul.

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Gunok; Muldur, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Mercan; Guendouzi, Fred; Kahveci, Asensio, Akturkoglu; Talisca

Gornik Zabrze possible starting lineup:

Schulze; Janicki, Sacek, Josema, Janza; Donio, Sadilek, Urbanski; Ismaheel, Prekop, Khlan

We say: Fenerbahce 2-0 Gornik Zabrze

Sitting 145 places higher than Gornik in UEFA's coefficient rankings, big-spending Fener must bear the weight of expectation - and they have more than enough experience to do so.

At a sold-out and highly partisan stadium, the Turkish giants will surely rise to the occasion and secure a lead for next week's return leg in Poland.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.