At 2:30 am on August 7th, Lille will host Fenerbahçe in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round. As the only team from one of the top five leagues to be involved in the qualifying rounds, Lille needs to defend Ligue 1’s honor, while Mourinho faces his first real test since taking charge of Fenerbahçe.
Lille finished fourth in Ligue 1 in the 2023-24 season with 59 points (16 wins, 11 draws, and 7 losses), earning them a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds. In the Champions League, Lille has made it to the Round of 16 twice, in the 2006-07 and 2021-22 seasons, which are the club’s best performances in the competition.
In the summer transfer window, Lille have signed Olmeta (promoted from Lille B), Munier (free transfer), Mandi (free transfer), Ngakoutou (5 million euros), Ethan Mbappé (free transfer), and Salamaï (8 million euros). However, the club’s sales have been more notable, with 18-year-old defensive prodigy Yoro joining Manchester United for 62 million euros, bringing in a significant amount of money for the club.
Fenerbahçe finished second in the Turkish Super League last season with 99 points (31 wins, 6 draws, and 1 loss), securing a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds. In the new season, Fenerbahçe have appointed legendary manager Mourinho as their head coach, aiming for the Turkish Super League title.
In the second round of Champions League qualifying, Fenerbahçe eliminated Lugano with a 6-4 aggregate win, securing their qualification. In the 2007-08 Champions League, Fenerbahçe reached the quarterfinals, setting a club record for their best performance in the competition.
Since the 2010-11 season, Fenerbahçe have been eliminated in the Champions League qualifying rounds seven times in a row.
In the summer transfer window, Fenerbahçe have signed Serdar Gürler (8.5 million euros), Mekaal (2 million euros), Krunić (3.5 million euros), Oğuz Aygün (6 million euros), En-Nesyri (19.5 million euros), and Tosun (free transfer).
In this match, Lille’s Ignacio Miramon, Zedadka, and Rafael Fernandes are ineligible to play, while Umtiti and Bentaleb are out injured; Fenerbahçe’s João Pedro, Sedar Aziz, Kılıçalı, Emre Mor, Luan Peres, Akaydın, Burak Kapacak, Miguel Crespo, Kent, and Windal are ineligible to play, while Fred is out injured.
In past head-to-head encounters, Lille has a record of 1 win and 1 draw, remaining unbeaten. In Lille’s home stadium, the two teams have met once, with Lille emerging victorious.
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