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Fenerbahce begins its UEFA Europa League journey with a challenging away fixture against Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb. The opening group stage match will take place on Wednesday at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. Kick-off is set for 10 p.m. (GMT +3).
French referee Jerome Brisard will officiate the match, assisted by Alexis Auger and Erwan Finjean. Thomas Leonard will serve as the fourth official, with Bastien Dechepy and Nicolas Rainville overseeing VAR operations.
Fenerbahce entered European competition through the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. After eliminating Dutch side Feyenoord in the third qualifying round, the club fell to Benfica in the playoff stage. That defeat redirected the team’s path to the Europa League, where head coach Domenico Tedesco hopes to make a strong statement from the very first match.
Dinamo Zagreb: Nevistic, Valincic, Theophile, McKenna, Goda, Ljubicic, Misic, Lisica, Stojkovic, Hoxha, Beljo
Fenerbahce: Ederson, Semedo, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Brown, Ismail, Fred, Irfan Can, Asensio, Kerem, En-Nesyri
Unavailable for Fenerbahce: Edson Alvarez, Jhon Duran, Mert Hakan Yandas (injuries), Anderson Talisca (suspension).
This will be the third official encounter between Dinamo Zagreb and Fenerbahce. The two clubs previously met in the 2018-19 Europa League group stage, when Dinamo won 4-1 in Zagreb and the return leg in Istanbul ended goalless.
Zagreb topped the group that season, while Fenerbahce advanced as runners-up.
Head coach Domenico Tedesco acknowledged the team’s ongoing struggles but emphasized determination:
“We are far from the level I want. We have problems, but no excuses. We lost too many duels and possession in recent games. My job and the staff’s job is to fix this. It will take steps, but we must play brave and dominant football.”
The Italian coach praised Dinamo Zagreb as “a courageous, offensive side” and insisted that his players must rise to the occasion.
Defender Milan Skriniar echoed his coach’s sentiments, underlining the importance of a positive start:
“The last two matches did not go as we wanted. Tomorrow we want to bring positivity to the club with a victory. Dinamo Zagreb is the biggest club in Croatia with passionate supporters, but we are used to strong atmospheres. We are fully focused on the match.”
In the Europa League alone (since its rebranding from the UEFA Cup), Fenerbahce has played 94 matches, with 46 wins, 28 draws, and 20 defeats.
Fenerbahce enters Maksimir Stadium aiming to put its domestic struggles behind and secure a morale-boosting result in Europe’s second-tier competition. Dinamo Zagreb, buoyed by strong league form and home advantage, will look to repeat its 2018 success against the Turkish side.
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