Fenerbahçe’s journey in the UEFA Champions League begins with a clash against Switzerland’s Lugano.

The draw, held at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, saw the Turkish side enter as a seeded team and land a matchup against the black-and-whites from Lugano.

The first leg is set for July 23 or July 24 in Switzerland, with the return leg on July 30 or July 31 in Istanbul.

Closer look at Lugano

Founded in 1908, Lugano play their home matches at the 6,330-capacity Cornaredo Stadium.

The team is managed by Swiss coach Mattia Croci-Torti, who took the helm in the 2021-2022 season.

Under his leadership, Lugano have played 131 matches, achieving an average of 1.64 points per game.

Last season, Lugano finished second in the Swiss League, earning 65 points from 38 matches, just behind Young Boys.

This strong performance secured their spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds.

Historically, Lugano have won the Swiss League three times (1937-1938, 1940-1941, 1948-1949) and the Swiss Cup four times (1930-1931, 1967-1968, 1992-1993, 2021-2022).

Players to watch

Key players include Slovenian striker Zan Celar, who scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 36 league matches last season.

Swiss goalkeeper Amir Saipi kept 13 clean sheets in 33 appearances, and defender Albian Hajdari contributed three goals in 34 matches, anchoring the defense.

European experience

Lugano have some recent European experience, having faced Beşiktaş in the UEFA Europa Conference League last season.

Despite finishing fourth in Group D with one win, one draw and four losses, they managed an impressive 3-2 away victory over Beşiktaş, though they lost 2-0 at home.