Here are 10 things to know before the encounter between Fenerbahçe – Nice, which will kick off on Thursday at 6:45pm (French time) as part of Matchday 2 of the Europa League.

FENER LOSE IN ZAGREB TO START THEIR EUROPA LEAGUE CAMPAIGN

Like Nice, Fenerbahçe were beaten on Matchday 1 of the Europa League. Away at Dinamo Zagreb, the Turkish club went down 3-1.

Their goal was scored in the 25th minute by Polish international Sebastian Szymański.

… BUT WINNING THIS WEEKEND

The very same Szymański (pictured below) sealed the Yellow Canaries’ victory last weekend (2-0) at home against Antalyaspor.

Before that, Brazilian Talisca had set his teammates on the road to victory by converting a penalty just after the hour mark.

This result puts Marco Asensio and his teammates in 2nd place in the Süper Lig, six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

DOMENICO TEDESCO REPLACES JOSÉ MOURINHO

Nice’s next opponent changed coaches at the start of the season. Dismissed after being eliminated in the Champions League play-offs by Benfica – who he later joined – José Mourinho was replaced by Italian-German manager Domenico Tedesco, former Belgium national coach and Leipzig boss.

A TRIP TO ASIA

This week, Les Aiglons are crossing continents, as Fenerbahçe is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. In contrast, their great city rivals Galatasaray are based on the European side of the capital. The two shores are separated by the Bosphorus.

NICE’S LONGEST EUROPEAN TRIP?

Is Istanbul the farthest trip Nice have made in European competition? The answer is no.

Istanbul lies 1,803 km (as the crow flies) from Nice.

That’s less than Tel Aviv (2,720 km), where Nice have played twice in Europe (against Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2022 and Hapoel Be’er Sheva in 2020).

It’s also closer than Moscow (2,529 km) and Krasnodar (2,509 km) in Russia, where the club traveled in 2018 and 2016.

A SENSE OF DÉJÀ VU?

Nice and Fenerbahçe have met before in Europe, back in the 1959-60 European Cup. Those encounters were fierce battles, with both sides enjoying highs and lows… and Nice eventually progressing after a decisive “replay”, which replaced penalty shootouts at the time.

Before that 3rd match, Pancho Gonzalez’s Aiglons had lost in Istanbul (1-2) and won at home (2-1), despite two disallowed goals that would have taken them through. Jean Luciano’s men had to settle matters in a final decider, played on neutral ground in Geneva. On 23 December 1959, they did so emphatically, in dire conditions, with a resounding 5-1 win.

HOW MANY NICE FANS IN ISTANBUL?

A total of 129 Nice fans have booked their seats in the away section of the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Ahead of this long trip, OGC Nice thanks them and wishes them a safe journey- hopefully crowned with success.

GOUVEIA RETURNS

One current Nice player has already appeared at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium this season: Tiago Gouveia. The winger played there with Benfica during the first leg of the Champions League play-offs (0-0 on August 20), coming on in the final 15 minutes.

A week later, Benfica eliminated the Turks in the return leg, thanks to a goal from Kerem Aktürkoğlu… who Nice will face on Thursday, since he signed for Fenerbahçe two days after that second leg!

 

AN AIGLON WHO HAS WON AT ŞÜKRÜ SARACOĞLU

Another summer signing has tasted victory at Fener’s iconic ground: Charles Vanhoutte. The midfielder won there with Union Saint-Gilloise in the return leg of a Conference League round of 16 tie on 14 March 2024 (1-0). Despite that win, the Belgians were knocked out after suffering a heavy first-leg defeat (0-3).

Vanhoutte also returned there with Union last season, suffering a 2-1 defeat on Matchday 1 of the Europa League.

HE WORE BOTH SHIRTS

A young former Rouge et Bleu player also wore the Yellow Canaries shirt: Allan Saint-Maximin. A Nice player between 2017 and 2019 (74 matches, 11 goals), the forward played for Fenerbahçe in 2024-25 (31 matches, 4 goals).

Saint-Maximin now plays for Club América in Mexico.

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