Preview: Fenerbahce vs Lyon - prediction, team news, lineups

Both Fenerbahce and Lyon are just one step away from the prestigious league phase, as they get their Champions League playoff under way on Tuesday evening.

Fighting for one of seven spots remaining in Europe's top competition, the pair will meet at Istanbul's Stadyumu Sukru Saracoglu for the first leg.

Match preview

Having lost nine times in qualifying since making their sixth appearance in 2008, Fenerbahce are simply desperate to reach the Champions League's main phase.

The Turkish giants most recently exited to Benfica this time last year, which prompted Jose Mourinho's dramatic exit and the arrival of Domenico Tedesco.

Despite the latter's best efforts, Fener were still pipped by Galatasaray again, missing out on the Super Lig title as they trailed in three points behind their fierce city rivals.

Tedesco's team also reached the Europa League knockout playoffs, where they were eliminated by Nottingham Forest, but he has since been replaced by Ismail Kartal.

In Kartal's first competitive fixtures, Fenerbahce overcame Gornik Zabrze and Sturm Graz in rounds two and three of Champions League qualifying, before suffering a big setback on the domestic front.

Determined to finally end Gala's dominance, the Yellow Canaries started with a shock 2-1 defeat to Genclerbirligi on Saturday, despite Talisca scoring for a fifth straight game.

Given little time to reflect, Fener must focus on their sixth meeting with Lyon, and the second in three seasons following a goalless draw in the 2024-25 Europa League.

In brighter times for both clubs, they clashed several times in the Champions League during the early 2000s, with Lyon winning all four contests.

To date, the French side have featured 16 times in the group stage, but their last appearance came back in 2019, when they went all the way to the semi-finals and lost to eventual winners Bayern Munich.

Slowly emerging from financial strife, Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last term and reached the Europa League's last 16, where they were dumped out by Celta Vigo.

Still under the management of Paulo Fonseca, who has previously led the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk and Roma on European adventures, Les Gones entered this season's Champions League at the third qualifying round.

In serious trouble after a 2-1 defeat in the first leg against Sparta Prague, they fully capitalised on home advantage last week; with Sparta down to 10 men, Lyon fought back to win 3-0 in France.

Fonseca's side now face a busy few days, featuring both legs of a tough Champions League playoff either side of their Ligue 1 opener in Toulouse.

Fenerbahce Champions League form:

Fenerbahce form (all competitions):

Lyon Champions League form:

Team News

Fenerbahce have several fitness doubts before the first leg, as Sofyan Amrabat, Caglar Soyuncu and high-profile signing Romelu Lukaku are set to miss out.

A Champions League runner-up with Inter Milan in 2023, the latter was left off Kartal's initial UEFA squad list but insists he is ready and could yet be added before kickoff.

The hosts will defintely be without goalkeepers Ederson and Mert Gunok, while Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwolde suffered a hamstring tendon tear earlier this month.

Still, summer signings Nathan Ake and Vedat Muriqi - who returns for a second spell at the club after scoring 23 La Liga goals last season - are available, and Brazilian forward Talisca has scored in all four of Fener's qualifiers so far.

Meanwhile, Lyon are currently missing Khalis Merah, Mads Bistrup and star man Pavel Sulc due to injury.

Money is still tight, but Swiss full-back Zachary Athekame and Belgian striker Lois Openda have both arrived on loan from Serie A clubs - AC Milan and Juventus respectively.

Running matters in midfield, captain Corentin Tolisso made amends for missing a penalty in Prague by setting up Ainsley Maitland-Niles to score in last week's second leg against Sparta.

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Cetin; Semedo, Skriniar, Ake, Brown; Guendouzi, Kante; Greenwood, Asensio, Akturkoglu; Talisca

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Greif; Mata, Niakhate, Kluivert; Maitland-Niles, Morton, Tessmann, Ouedraogo; Abner, Tolisso; Openda

We say: Fenerbahce 1-0 Lyon

Fenerbahce are unbeaten in six home Champions League qualifiers - winning both this season without conceding - so Lyon would do well to avoid a deficit following this week's first leg.

Stung by fierce criticism of their league loss on Saturday, Fener can respond by getting their noses ahead and inching ever closer to the promised land.

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