The third week of the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage gets underway Thursday, featuring 15 matchups, including Turkish powerhouses Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, ready to create fireworks on the stage of Europe's third-tier competition.
Among the Turkish sides Fenerbahçe, in Group H, will be hosting Bulgaria's Ludogorets in Kadiköy.
Meanwhile, Beşiktaş find themselves in Group D, gearing up for a fierce battle on foreign soil against the Norwegian contender, Bodo/Glimt.
Canary sanctuary
Fenerbahçe will look to leverage their home advantage as they take on Ludogorets at the iconic Ülker Stadium, with the kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. local time.
Under Ismail Kartal, the Yellow Canaries have enjoyed a stellar season, winning all 17 of their official matches to date.
Their relentless pursuit of victory continues as they aim to hurdle past Ludogorets unscathed.
In their previous encounters, Fenerbahçe triumphed over Nordsjaelland 3-1 in the opening match, followed by a 2-1 away win against Spartak Trnava.
With six group points, Kartal's squad currently reigns as the group leaders, and should they conquer Ludogorets, they will be poised for a commanding path to group supremacy.
However, the road to victory is not without its challenges.
Fenerbahçe will need to navigate this pivotal encounter with three key players sidelined.
Injuries have ruled out Joshua King, Serdar Aziz, and Mert Hakan Yandaş, leaving the team with a formidable gap to fill, especially in the defensive line.
Speaking of defensive woes, the absence of Luan Peres because of an extended injury has left Fenerbahçe's options in the backline limited.
The start of the season saw Rodrigo Becao, Alexander Djiku, Serdar Aziz, and Samet Akaydın rotating in the center-back positions.
However, Samet Akaydın is not part of the UEFA squad, and Serdar Aziz is nursing an injury.
In their absence, Fenerbahçe are left with just Rodrigo Becao and Alekander Djiku as natural center-back options.
Should the need arise, Ismail Kartal may have to resort to deploying Jayden Oosterwolde in a makeshift center-back role.
Eagle preys on foreign soil
Moving across the football landscape, Beşiktaş are gearing up for their Group D showdown against Norway's Bodo/Glimt.
The clash will unfold tomorrow at Aspmyra Stadium, commencing at 10:00 p.m. local time.
Beşiktaş's journey through the Europa Conference League has been nothing short of spectacular.
They stormed into the group stage after navigating through the second qualifying round, defeating Tirana, Neftçi Bakü from Azerbaijan, and Dinamo Kyiv from Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the campaign itself has been rather unsteady, falling short of expectations.
Their initial group match against Club Brugge ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw, followed by a narrow 3-2 defeat at home against Switzerland's Lugano.
For Beşiktaş, this match represents their 239th foray into European competitions.
They have secured 90 victories, played to 48 draws, and endured 100 losses in these encounters.
While they have netted an impressive 313 goals, they have also had to pick the ball out of their own net on 353 occasions.
This season, Beşiktaş have displayed decent form in the Europa Conference League, bagging points from seven of their eight matches, with their only blemish being the loss to Lugano.
Their journey commenced in the second qualifying round, where they defeated Tirana with 3-1 and 2-0 scorelines.
In the third qualifying round, they dispatched Neftçi with 3-1 and 2-1 victories.
Their run continued into the playoff stage, where they overcame Dinamo Kyiv with 3-2 and 1-0 wins.
In their opening group stage match, they held Club Brugge to a riveting 1-1 draw, keeping their unbeaten streak intact until Lugano halted their march with a 3-2 victory.
Beşiktaş were on the brink of equaling a significant European record – consecutive unbeaten matches in European competitions.
However, their loss to Lugano not only ended that streak but also prompted their manager, Şenol Güneş, to resign from his position.
In Güneş's stead, the Black Eagles will be under the somewhat inexperienced leadership of Burak Yılmaz, who will stay in charge until the extraordinary general assembly planned for December.
Yılmaz is embarking on his first European managerial venture, aiming to not only secure victory in Norway but also dispel any clouds of uncertainty hanging over the club.
One standout player for Beşiktaş has been Vincent Aboubakar, who scored both of the team's goals against Lugano.
With 13 goals to his name, he now holds the distinction of being the top-scoring foreign player in a Beşiktaş shirt in European competitions.
His incredible tally surpasses the likes of Bobo and Quaresma, both of whom previously held this record.
In terms of personnel, Beşiktaş will be without the services of Rosier, who is serving a suspension because of a red card. Additionally, injuries will sideline Salih Uçan, Daniel Amartey, and Tayfur Bingöl for the upcoming match.