UCL Preview: Lyon welcome Fenerbahçe for vital contest
After a one-all draw in Istanbul in the first leg of their Champions League Playoff tie against Fenerbahçe, Les Gones face a vital encounter at the Groupama Stadium tomorrow -- get the latest with our preview.
A full strength XI for OL
After an uneven preseason and a wobbly start to competitive play against Sparta Prague in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie, Olympique Lyonnais -- through a combination of form and fitness -- have come roundly into a fine level of sharpness. To be sure, the summer's marquee signing, Loïs Openda, will have helped, but even against Toulouse FC in Ligue 1 McDonald's on Saturday, Les Gones looked sharp and motivated.
With the eleven for the match having shown heavy rotation, manager Paulo Fonseca will have opted for a first-choice eleven tomorrow, with only Khalis Merah unavailable. Speaking pre-match, Fonseca underscored this, reflecting on the squad's lack of depth last season as having been their undoing, at least in part, saying, day, "I expect my players to demonstrate that we have more solutions to manage the season differently. I am always very positive and very motivated. This is a great opportunity for us. Everyone understands the importance of reaching the Champions League. We can talk about a lot of things, but motivation is the most important factor today. We need to stay positive and balanced."
All together tomorrow! 🦁❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/wcG5pXez3I
— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) August 25, 2026
Confidence gained for Fener?
As for their opponents, Fenerbahçe had endured a rather uneven start to their domestic campaign, with an aggressive transfer strategy not paying immediate dividends following an opening loss to Gençlerbirliği S.K. However, İsmail Kartal's side rebounded in a serious way at the weekend, playing a first-choice eleven and thumping Konyaspor 4-2 at the weekend, with one of those summer arrivals -- former Marseille winger Mason Greenwood -- netting a double.
Despite needing a win in hostile territory, the veteran-laden Turks will have a quiet confidencde about them. Veteran striker Vedat Muriqui emphasized the magnitude of the encounter in the pre-match press conference, saying, "We will play a very important match for Fenerbahçe and Turkish football tomorrow. We will leave everything we have on the field to qualify for the Champions League."
Predicted lineups:
Olympique Lyonnais (4-3-3): Greif; Maitland-Niles, Niakhaté, Abner (or Tagliafico); Tessmann, Morton, Tolisso; Nuamah, Openda, Fofana
Fenerbahçe (4-3-3): Ederson; Semedo, Skriniar, Aké, Brown; Guendouzi, Kanté, Yüksek; Greenwood, Talisca (or Lukaku), Dorgeles
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