Turkish powerhouses seek to advance in UEFA Europa League

Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray will take to the field today as they try to advance on their UEFA Europa League journey. Holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg and unbeaten away from home in the competition this season, Fenerbahçe have reason to visit Lokomotiv Moscow for the return match of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie in a confident mood.

The sides met for the first time in UEFA competition on Feb. 16, when a goal in each half from defensive midfielder Souza condemned Loko to defeat in their first competitive encounter of 2016. Fenerbahçe's record in five games against Russian teams is W2 D2 L1 (W0 D1 L1 in Russia). Lokomotiv's record in nine matches against Turkish clubs reads W2 D3 L4 (W1 D1 L2 at home). Fenerbahçe are unbeaten away from home (W2 D2) since entering the UEFA Europa League in the play-offs.

Elsewhere, the tension levels are sure to be high in Rome as Lazio host Galatasaray fresh from a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie. Sabri Sarıoğlu gave Galatasaray the best of starts in last Thursday's round of 32 first leg when he struck his first European goal in seven years after 12 minutes, but the Biancocelesti soon responded via Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to leave everything to play for in Rome. The result meant that Lazio joined PAOK as the club with the most UEFA Europa League draws in total -15. In the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League group stage, Mircea Lucescu's Galatasaray overcame Dino Zoff's Lazio 1-0 at home but lost by the same scoreline in the reverse fixture to a Biancocelesti side coached by Alberto Zaccheroni. Lazio's 13 matches against Turkish sides have ended W6 D5 L2 (W3 D3 L0 at home). Galatasaray's record in 23 games against Italian clubs is W7 D9 L7 (W0 D5 L6 in Italy).