Anderlecht vs. Fenerbahçe: Match Preview
Fenerbahçe will take on Belgium’s Anderlecht in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 playoff second-leg match. Jose Mourinho and his team will enter the clash with the advantage of their 3-0 victory in the first leg. The match will be officiated by Swiss referee Sandro Schärer.
Ahead of the match, Fenerbahçe is dealing with significant absences. The Yellow-Navy Blues will be without six key players against the Belgian side. After securing a dominant win at home, Fenerbahçe aims to maintain this advantage and advance to the Round of 16.
Anderlecht vs. Fenerbahçe: Date, Time, Kick-off
Fenerbahçe will face Anderlecht in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 playoffs. The match will take place on Thursday, February 20, at RSC Anderlecht Stadium in Brussels. Kickoff is scheduled for 23:00 Turkish time (TSI) and will be broadcast live on TRT 1 and the Tabii platform.
The match will be officiated by Swiss referee Sandro Schärer, with assistants Stéphane De Almeida and Jonas Erni. The fourth official will be Luca Cibelli, while Lukas Fähndrich will oversee VAR, and Lionel Tschudi will serve as AVAR.
How Can Fenerbahçe Qualify?
Fenerbahçe holds a significant advantage heading into the second leg, having won the first match 3-0. The Yellow-Navy Blues will progress with any win, draw, or even a loss by one or two goals. If Anderlecht wins by four or more goals, they will advance. A three-goal win for Anderlecht would send the match into extra time. If no winner emerges after two 15-minute extra-time periods, the tie will be decided by a penalty shootout.
Fenerbahçe Missing Six Players
Fenerbahçe will be without six key players against Anderlecht. İsmail Yüksek, Çağlar Söyüncü, and Alexander Djiku are sidelined with injuries. Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković has recovered from injury but is not yet match-fit. Cengiz Ünder, whose transfer is in progress, and Allan Saint-Maximin, who is dealing with a flu infection, are also absent from the squad.
Potential Opponents in the Round of 16
If Fenerbahçe advances, they will face either Greece’s Olympiacos or Scotland’s Rangers in the Round of 16. Olympiacos, who eliminated Fenerbahçe in last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-finals via penalties before going on to win the tournament, finished the Europa League league stage in 7th place with four wins, three draws, and one loss. They suffered a 2-0 away defeat to Olympique Lyon and played a goalless draw at home against Twente.
Rangers recorded four wins, two draws, and two losses in the Europa League this season. They suffered a heavy 4-1 home defeat to Lyon and lost 2-1 away to Manchester United but managed a 2-1 home victory against Union Saint-Gilloise. Olympiacos and Rangers also faced each other in the group stage in Greece, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.
