Fenerbahçe, eager to redeem themselves after a tough domestic defeat, kick off their Europa League journey on Thursday night, hosting Union SG at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.
The Yellow Canaries fell to Galatasaray in a heated league clash over the weekend, while Union SG settled for a goalless draw against Standard Liege in Belgium.
After taking the Fenerbahçe reins in June following his exit from Roma in January, Jose Mourinho had his sights set on a Champions League run.
However, a two-legged defeat to Lille in the qualifiers dashed those hopes, relegating the Yellow Canaries to the Europa League.
Despite that setback, Fenerbahçe has made a solid start to the 2024-25 season, currently sitting second in the Turkish Super League, five points behind unbeaten Galatasaray.
It was Okan Buruk's side that handed Fenerbahçe their first domestic loss of the campaign last weekend, with goals from former Arsenal star Lucas Torreira, Belgian icon Dries Mertens and ex-Norwich City playmaker Gabriel Sara sealing a 3-1 victory.
Prior to their weekend loss to the champions, Fenerbahçe had been in fine form, stringing together a three-match winning streak in the Süper Lig and netting 10 goals without conceding against Rizespor, Alanyaspor and Kasimpaşa, with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic keeping a clean sheet in all three matches.
Last season, Fenerbahçe were a force in the Europa Conference League, defeating Union SG in the round of 16.
However, their campaign ended in the quarterfinals against Olympiacos, who advanced via a penalty shootout.
Union SG secured a spot in the Champions League qualifiers after finishing second to Club Brugge in the 2023-24 Belgian Pro League.
However, much like Fenerbahçe, they exited Europe's top competition after a 4-1 aggregate loss to Slavia Prague.
Since that Europa League-defining defeat on August 13, Les Unionistes have struggled.
They have lost just once in five Pro League games but have failed to win any of their last four, with three goalless draws against St. Truiden, Anderlecht and Standard Liege.
Forward Mohammed Fuseini, a summer arrival and Europa League veteran from Sturm Graz, leads the club with two goals, highlighting their struggles in front of goal.
After eight matches in the Pro League, Union SG finds themselves in a disappointing 12th place, just a point clear of St. Truiden, who sit in the relegation playoff zone – an unthinkable position for Sebastien Pocognoli's side.
Despite not winning a league title since 1935, Union SG has recently cultivated a winning mentality in cup competitions, lifting both the Belgian Cup and Super Cup in 2024 as they gear up for this season's Europa League journey.
Fenerbahçe will be without former Queens Park Rangers forward Bright Osayi-Samuel, who is expected to return next month from a foot injury.
After scoring a second-half penalty against Galatasaray, Edin Dzeko is poised to lead the Yellow Canaries' attack.
The Turkish hosts boast a wealth of European experience, with players like Sofyan Amrabat and Youssef En-Nesyri eager to secure starting spots after beginning the last match on the bench.
On the other hand, Union SG will be missing their top scorer, Mohammed Fuseini, who is suspended following a red card in the defeat to Slavia Prague in August.
Additionally, they will be without Henok Teklab, who is aiming for a comeback in the new year after suffering a broken leg.
