Europa League | Knockout Round Playoffs | 2nd Leg

Feb 20, 2025 at 8pm UK

Lotto Park

Anderlechtvs.Fenerbahce

(agg: 0-3)

Match preview

Anderlecht, who finished 10th in the 36-team Europa League and missed out on an automatic last-16 place on goal difference, are now hanging on to their European hopes by a thread after suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Fenerbahce in the first leg of their play-off tie last week.

Experienced duo Dusan Tadic and Edin Dzeko both scored in the first half to put Fenerbahce in control, before Youssef En-Nesyri added a third midway through the second half to put one foot in the last 16 and condemn Anderlecht to their third away defeat in four games in all competitions.

Les Mauves et Blancs have since bounced back from that defeat in Turkey to consolidate their place in the top six of the Belgian Pro League after a 1-0 win over Charleroi last weekend, courtesy of a second-half strike from substitute Luis Vazquez.

Anderlecht are now bidding to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in the Europa League, as 135 of the last 136 teams to lose the first leg by at least three goals have gone out on aggregate. The Belgian giants can take inspiration from Valencia, who overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit in 2013-14 to beat Basel 5-3 on aggregate.

David Hubert's side will also be hoping to avoid a fourth successive Europa League defeat for the first time in the competition, having lost their last three matches by a combined score of 9-3.

The last time Fenerbahce suffered defeat in any competition was on 11 December last year and Jose Mourinho's in-form side are currently on a 14-match unbeaten run, including five consecutive victories.

Three days after beating Anderlecht 3-0 in the Europa League, the Yellow Canaries secured a 3-1 home win over Kasimpasa in the Turkish Super Liga last Sunday to remain second in the standings, six points behind leaders Galatasaray, who they will face next Monday.

Fenerbahce, who qualified for the Europa League play-offs after finishing 24th in the league phase despite failing to win their last three games, are now in the driving seat to secure a place in the last 16 for the second time in three seasons and only the fourth time in the last 13 years.

Mourinho's men will be looking to win both legs of a knockout tie in a major European competition for the first time since 2006-07, and they will fancy their chances on Thursday having won four and drawn one of their last five meetings with Anderlecht.

Recent Performance

Anderlecht Europa League form:DDWLLL

Anderlecht form (all competitions):WLLWLW

Fenerbahce Europa League form:LWLDDW

Fenerbahce form (all competitions):WDWWWW

Team News

Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg was forced off with a knee injury in the first half of last weekend's win at Charleroi and has joined Yari Verschaeren (groin) and Mario Stroeykens (ankle) in the treatment room.

Luis Vazquez has scored two of his five goals this season in the Europa League and is expected to replace Dolberg up front, while Anders Dreyer, Cesar Huerta and either Thorgan Hazard or Tristan Degreef will provide support in attack.

Jan Vertonghen recovered from an ankle injury to watch on as an unused substitute last weekend and could be in contention for a start at the back, although Jan-Carlo Simic and either Lucas Hey or Adryelson are expected to get the nod at centre-back.

For Fenerbahce, Jayden Oosterwolde and Rodrigo Becao have both suffered season-ending knee injuries, while Dominik Livakovic (thigh), Diego Carlos (undisclosed), Caglar Soyuncu and Alexander Djiku (both muscular) are also sidelined.

Sofyan Amrabat has recently been given the task of operating at centre-back and is likely to remain at the heart of the defence alongside new signing Milan Skriniar and either Levent Mercan or Yusuf Akcicek.

Dzeko has scored in each of his last three Europa League starts, and only once before has he netted in more consecutive starts in the competition (five for Roma in 2017-18). The 38-year-old will start up front alongside En-Nesyri, who has scored a team-high 23 goals in all competitions this season.

Possible starting lineup

Anderlecht possible starting lineup:

Coosemans; Sardella, Simic, Adryelson, Augustinsson; Leoni, Dendoncker; Dreyer, Huerta, Degreef; Vazquez

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Egribayrat; Skriniar, Amrabat, Akcicek; Osayi-Samuel, Fred, Szymanski, Kostic; Tadic; En-Neysri, Dzeko