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Two of Türkiye’s most prominent football clubs, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, are preparing to take part in decisive UEFA playoff rounds that will shape their European campaigns, with Galatasaray set to face Italy’s Juventus in the Champions League and Fenerbahce drawn against England’s Nottingham Forest in the Europa League.
Galatasaray will compete in the UEFA Champions League last 16 playoff round, a qualifying stage that determines which teams advance to the main round of 16, where the tournament enters its knockout phase. The Istanbul-based club has been paired with Italy’s Juventus, one of Europe’s most historically successful teams.
If Galatasaray manages to get past the Italian side, the next round would bring a demanding English opponent, as the club would then be drawn against either Tottenham or Liverpool. Both English teams are regular participants in European competitions and are widely followed by global audiences.
The Champions League playoff matches are scheduled to be played across two legs on Feb. 17–18 and Feb. 24–25. These fixtures will determine which teams move forward in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament, commonly referred to as the Champions League.
As the competition progresses beyond the play-offs, the ultimate destination for all remaining teams is the final, which will take place on Saturday, in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The match will decide the Champions League winner for the season, bringing the European football calendar to its traditional climax.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce will continue its European journey in the UEFA Europa League, which is considered the second-tier continental competition beneath the Champions League. The club has been drawn against England’s Nottingham Forest in the Europa League last 16 play-off round.
This stage functions in a similar way to the Champions League playoffs, as teams fight over two legs for a place in the round of 16. The pairing sets up another Türkiye–England matchup, underlining the strong presence of English clubs across UEFA tournaments this season.
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