Flying high on confidence, Süper Lig juggernauts Fenerbahçe will host Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday in the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16, following their commanding 3-0 victory in the first leg.
Having established a significant three-goal lead away, the Yellow Canaries will aim to seal the deal against the Belgians while contributing to the country's UEFA coefficient.
In the initial leg played last week, goals from Michy Batchuayi, Jayden Oosterwolde, and Dusan Tadic provided the Kadiköy side with a comfortable cushion heading into the return leg.
Fenerbahçe will progress to the quarterfinals with a win, a draw, or a loss by a two-goal margin.
The Istanbulites boast an extensive history in European competitions, having competed 267 times, securing 106 victories, 55 draws, and enduring 106 defeats. Along the way, they have scored 363 goals, while conceding 380.
Fenerbahçe will be making their 16th appearance in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Across these matches, they have secured 11 victories and suffered defeat on four occasions, scoring 41 goals while conceding 19.
The upcoming encounter will be the second between the two teams, with Fenerbahçe having previously faced Belgian teams nine times. They clashed with Anderlecht six times in various European competitions and met Royal Antwerp twice in the Europa League group stage, securing 5 wins, 3 draws, and suffering 1 defeat.
Absentees
Rade Krunic will sit out the return leg due to a suspension after receiving a yellow card in the round of 16's first match.
Meanwhile, Joshua King, Çağlar Söyüncü, and Leonardo Bonucci are on the road to recovery from injuries.
Rodrigo Becao, who has rejoined training with the team, is expected to make the squad.
However, in case Becao does not make it, Fenerbahçe coach İsmail Kartal is unlikely to tweak his defensive lineup, considering the absence of key players Çağlar Söyüncü and Serdar Aziz.
It is highly probable that the seasoned coach will opt for a defensive quartet comprising Bright Osayi-Samuel, Alexander Djiku, Jayden Oosterwolde, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu.
Oosterwolde, who initially started as left-back but shifted to centerback after Çağlar Söyüncü's injury, will retain his spot in the central defense for the return leg.
Union Saint-Gilloise currently lead the Belgian Pro League table with 69 points from 29 matches, boasting 21 victories, six draws, and two losses.
The team is on a 23-match unbeaten streak in the league, having scored 62 goals and conceded 30.
Fenerbahçe navigated through the previous season's UEFA Europa League group stage undefeated and progressed to the round of 16, where they bowed out to Sevilla.
They have a strong home record, winning five out of six matches in this competition.
This season, Fenerbahçe have maintained a perfect home record in the Europa Conference League, winning all six matches.
They have won 11 out of their last 12 European home matches, drawing the other.
Belgian forward Michy Batshuayi leads Fenerbahçe's scoring charts in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season with six goals.
Serbian attacker Dusan Tadic has contributed five goals, while Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko and Turkish midfielder İrfan Can Kahveci have each scored four goals.
Union Saint-Gilloise face concerns over player availability due to injuries and suspensions ahead of the match against Fenerbahçe.
Their top scorer Mohamed Amoura and key defender Christian Burgess are suspended, while another defender, Fedde Leysen, is sidelined with a long-term injury.
Kevin Mac Allister, nursing a knee injury, might also miss the game.
Additionally, midfielder Noah Sadiki's participation remains uncertain, and Kevin Rodriguez, who recently returned to training post-injury, is also doubtful.