Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe – Match preview and team news
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Nottingham Forest return to the City Ground tonight, looking to complete the job and secure a place in the Europa League last 16 after a dominant first-leg display.
The Tricky Trees practically guaranteed progression with a clinical 3–0 victory in Istanbul last week. Notably, this marked the club’s largest-ever European away win. Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White provided a perfect managerial debut. Subsequently, Forest suffered a late 1–0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday. However, the Reds remain firmly in the driving seat. They can afford a two-goal defeat and still progress. Furthermore, they will be eager to entertain their home supporters.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe arrive in England facing “mission impossible” after a humbling home defeat. The Yellow Canaries have never progressed in 26 previous attempts after losing a first leg. They remain unbeaten domestically following a 1–1 Süper Lig draw with Kasımpaşa. However, an injury crisis currently plagues Domenico Tedesco’s squad. Consequently, their poor historical record of just one win in 10 English trips presents a massive hurdle.
Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
- Referee: Maurizio Mariani
- VAR: Marco Di Bello
- Last Meeting: Fenerbahçe 0–3 Nottingham Forest (19 Feb 2026), Europa League
Team News
Nottingham Forest
Vítor Pereira has confirmed he will make changes to freshen up the side, noting that “without energy, you get what happened in the second half against Liverpool”. However, the squad remains the same as the one that travelled to Turkey, as several key players are still unavailable. Matz Sels (groin) is expected back in training on Monday, while Chris Wood, Nicolò Savona, John Victor, and Willy Boly (all knee) remain sidelined. January signing Luca Netz is also ineligible.
Fenerbahçe
The visitors are grappling with an injury crisis; Milan Škriniar, Çağlar Söyüncü, Anderson Talisca, Ederson, and Edson Álvarez are all ruled out. Further complicating matters, Jayden Oosterwolde is both injured and suspended, while former Manchester United midfielder Fred is also suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Mert Günok and Anthony Musaba are ineligible for the competition.
Form
Nottingham Forest
The Reds are on the verge of history as a win tonight would see them secure three consecutive major European victories for the first time since 1983-84. While they suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, their European momentum is supported by a formidable defensive record at the City Ground, where they have kept a clean sheet in their last three home Europa League matches.
Notably, Forest boast a 65% home clean sheet ratio in major European football, one of the highest percentages for any side with over 20 home games. However, domestic home form has been more testing, with the club currently on a three-match winless run at the City Ground.
Fenerbahçe
The Yellow Canaries must overcome a bleak historical precedent in England, where they have won just one of their previous 10 away European matches. They arrive following a frustrating 1–1 draw with Kasımpaşa on Monday, a result that marked their second consecutive game without a victory. Notably, Fenerbahçe have been remarkably resilient on their travels, maintaining an unbeaten run of 14 away matches and scoring in 10 consecutive away matches. Despite this, they have failed to advance from all 26 of their previous European knockout ties when trailing after the first leg.
Predicted Lineups
Nottingham Forest Predicted XI: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Fenerbahçe Predicted XI: Cetin; Semedo, Demir, Efe, Muldur; Brown, Guendouzi, Kante; Asensio, Cherif, Akturkoglu
How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahçe?
The match will be televised live in the UK on TNT Sports 1. Fans can also stream the action via the discovery+ app.
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