The Turkish giants, Fenerbahce, have seven teams closely trailing them. They absolutely must avoid suffering another home defeat in continental competitions.

On matchday six, Athletic Bilbao triumphed in Istanbul. This handed Mourinho just his second home defeat in the Europa League in 25 matches in this particular competition.

It's quite astonishing that, for a team managed by Mourinho, Fenerbahce haven't managed to record a single clean sheet in 10 continental matches this season. Additionally, three out of their five defeats in all competitions have occurred in European fixtures.

Form in 2025 has been flawless so far for Fener though, winning all four of their matches so far, scoring 12 goals in the process, including four at the weekend in a routine win over Adana Demirspor, but they still remain six points adrift of Galatasaray.

With focus now on Europe, this will be by far their toughest test of the year so far, but the hosts are unbeaten in their last five home games against French clubs.

However, one worrying omen is that Lyon were the last French team to beat them on home soil, doing so twice in 2001 and 2004, and the visitors have won all four previous clashes between the sides.

This is the only venue where Lyon have won in Turkey, failing to taste victory on their three other trips, so they will seek to continue that 100% record here, and make amends for the defeat they suffered against Fener's rivals Besiktas at home earlier in the campaign.

Pierre Sage's men are not in the best shape ahead of this clash though, having gone three games without a win, taking just one point from Ligue 1 encounters against Toulouse and Brest, while also embarrassingly going out of the Coupe de France to fifth-tier Bourgoin Jallieu last midweek.

In Europe though, Lyon have been largely good, taking 13 points from a possible 18 so far, beating Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday six to end the German club's record-breaking unbeaten UEL run.

With a home clash against Ludogorets to come on matchday eight, Lyon will be hugely confident of taking three points there, meaning it is not do or die here in terms of claiming a place in the top eight.

It would be beneficial if Sage's men could rediscover the form that saw them win 12 games in 18 before this recent blip though, and an in-form Rayan Cherki could be pivotal in that, as no player has contributed to more goals in this competition than him (six).

The legendary Juninho Pernambucano was the last player to register as many assists (five) as Cherki has managed (four) so far in Europe this season, doing so in the 2006-07 Champions League campaign.

Mert Muldur's red card in the defeat to Athletic means the full-back will be suspended here, and fellow defenders Rodrigo Becao and Jayden Oosterwolde are out with long-term knee injuries.

First-choice goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic is a doubt again with a muscle problem, missing the Adana Demirspor win after just one game back from a previous absence, so Irfan Egribayat is set to deputise again.

Lincoln has returned from his loan spell at RB Bragantino, but he is currently injured, unregistered and set to depart the club again this month.

Lyon captain Alexandre Lacazette is a doubt after missing the clash with Toulouse over the weekend, while left-back Nicolas Tagliafico is suspended due to yellow card accumulation on the continent.

More emphasis could therefore be placed on Malick Fofana to deliver, and with four goals in the Europa League so far, he could become just the fourth teenager ever to hit the five-goal mark in the competition in a single season.

The expected exodus at Lyon has already begun given their financial troubles, with Maxence Caqueret, Jeffinho, Gift Orban and Anthony Lopes all departing the club this month, and more are set to leave.

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Egribayat; Djiku, Soyuncu, Mercan; Osayi-Samuel, Fred, Szymanski, Tadic, Kostic; Dzeko, En-Nesyri

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Lucas Perri; Clinton Mata, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Abner; Veretout, Matic, Tolisso; Cherki, Mikautadze, Fofana