Preview: Fenerbahce vs Gornik Zabrze – prediction, team news, schedule

Turkish giants Fenerbahce begin their new continental campaign on Tuesday, when Gornik visit Istanbul in the first leg of a crucial Champions League qualifier.

After finishing second in their domestic divisions last season, both clubs enter the second round – three feet away from the prestigious league stage.

Game preview

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

After losing the Champions League final, Jose Mourinho was sacked, before the veteran coach took over at Benfica, who dumped Fener.

Former Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco then took over, leading his new side to second place in Turkey’s top flight and promotion to the Europa League, where they were knocked out by Nottingham Forest.

Tedesco then left for Bologna, so Ismail Kartal is back for his fourth spell in charge, overseeing a busy summer on the scene.

Millions have been spent on the likes of Vedat Muriqi, Nathan Ake and Mason Greenwood – the latter of whom cost the club record fees.

It’s been a promising start, as three warm-up matches have brought 11 goals and consecutive wins – the last, Fener beat LASK Linz 2-1 in Austria.

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

Having entered the top of the competition, Gornik now faces the challenge of qualifying for the Champions League.

Should they beat Fenerbahce over two legs, Michal Gasparik’s men will have a third round match against one of Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Hearts or NEC Nijmegen.

Winning that would put them in contention for the league stage; otherwise, a failure at this stage will drop them into the Europa League qualifiers.

European Cup quarter-finals back in 1968, the Zabrze club has made little impact in recent years, and has been absent from UEFA competition for eight seasons.

Now it’s over, they almost put a solid Ekstraklasa table last termbut Lech Poznan put them in first place; however, getting a rare European tour was a great consolation.

Fenerbahce’s pre-season form:

WWW

Gornik Zabrze form (all competitions):

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Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Middle East Images

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

Summer signing Sidiki Cherif could also be on the bench after scoring twice in pre-season, but new boys Muriqi, Ake and Greenwood were left out of 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 at fullback.

Meanwhile, Gornik Zabrze goalkeeper Tomasz Loska has been suspended for the first leg of this week; Philipp Schulze will start between posts.

Midfielder Jaroslaw Kubicki broke his arm in the Super Cup defeat to Lech Poznan, which could keep him out for the next two months.

Although star Lukas Ambros was sold to Anderlecht for a record fee, Slovakia striker Emil Prekop then arrived from Slavia Prague and should feature up front.

Former Bologna midfielder Kacper Urbanski has also joined on a free transfer from Legia Warsaw, with the Polish international expected to start in Istanbul.

Fenerbahce likely to start the series:

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

Gornik Zabrze may have a starting lineup:

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

We say: Fenerbahce 2-0 Gornik Zabrze

Sitting 145 places above Gornik in UEFA’s equivalent rankings, big-spending Fener must carry the weight of expectation – and has more than enough experience to do so.

In a sold-out and crowded stadium, the Turkish giants will rise to the occasion and hold their own in the second leg in Poland next week.

For data analysis of the most likely results, score lines and more for this game please click here.