Jose Mourinho is set to rekindle a storied rivalry when his Fenerbahçe squad hosts Manchester United at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium this Thursday night in a highly anticipated Europa League clash.
This matchup marks the first encounter since November 2016, when Mourinho, then at the helm of United, suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to the Turkish side in the group stage of the same competition.
The Red Devils come into this match following a much-needed 2-1 victory against Brentford in the Premier League, ending a five-match winless streak.
After a tumultuous week filled with speculation about his future, manager Erik ten Hag dismissed media narratives as "fairytales."
Despite trailing at halftime due to an injury-time header from Brentford's Ethan Pinnock, United rallied after the break. Alejandro Garnacho equalized just 89 seconds into the second half, and Rasmus Hojlund netted his first Premier League goal to secure the points.
Currently sitting 12th in the Premier League, United are six points adrift of the top four, and Ten Hag acknowledges the persistent pressure that comes with managing such a prestigious club.
"The pressure is always there," he said, emphasizing the need for his team to build on their second-half performance against Brentford.
Before heading to West Ham United for their next league outing, United aims to secure their first Europa League win of the season, having drawn their opening two matches against FC Twente and Porto, including a thrilling 3-3 draw against Porto three weeks ago.
Recent history has not favored United in European competitions, as they have managed just one win in their last 10 matches (D4 L5) and are currently on a five-match winless streak – their longest since the early 1980s.
On the other hand, Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe are in solid form, with a record of eight wins, four draws, and only two losses across all competitions since he took charge in June.
The Yellow Canaries are currently unbeaten in their last four matches, but they were frustrated in their last Turkish Süper Lig outing against Samsunspor, conceding an equalizer in the dying minutes to draw 2-2.
This result saw them fall further behind league leaders Galatasaray, now trailing by eight points, albeit with a game in hand.
Fenerbahçe have also made a commendable start to their Europa League campaign, accumulating four points from their first two games after a 2-1 victory over Union SG and a 1-1 draw against FC Twente. The Yellow Canaries boast a seven-match unbeaten home run in the Europa League (W4 D3) and have emerged victorious in their last two home meetings with United.
Mourinho, however, faces challenges ahead of Thursday's clash.
Fenerbahçe's left-back Jayden Oosterwolde suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the recent match against Samsunspor, joining several teammates on the sidelines, including Cengiz Ünder (groin) and Bright Osayi-Samuel (foot).
Mourinho may need to adapt his lineup, potentially deploying either Mert Müldür or former United midfielder Fred at left-back, with Alexander Djiku possibly shifting to right-back.
If Fred doesn’t fill in defensively, he might take a deeper midfield role alongside another ex-United player, Sofyan Amrabat.
On the United side, they are also grappling with injury issues, as Leny Yoro (foot) has returned to training but remains unavailable alongside Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire (muscle), Luke Shaw (calf), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Mason Mount (knock), and Toby Collyer (unspecified).
Casemiro’s fitness will be evaluated after he exited the Brentford match with a calf concern. If fit, he could pair with Manuel Ugarte in midfield, allowing Christian Eriksen to assume the No. 10 role, filling in for the suspended Bruno Fernandes.
Noussair Mazraoui is also in contention to return, potentially shifting Diogo Dalot to left-back, while Joshua Zirkzee competes with Hojlund for the central striker spot.