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Former Germany international Lukas Podolski is preparing for another chapter in his long-running rivalry with Fenerbahce as the Istanbul side hosts Gornik Zabrze in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie on Tuesday.
While the former Germany international retired from professional football in May, Podolski, now the majority owner of Gornik Zabrze, takes a three-win record from 10 official meetings with Fenerbahce into the matchup and hopes his club can make it four.
The match kicks off at 9:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT) at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul and will be officiated by Lithuanian referee Manfredas Lukjancukas.
Podolski first faced Fenerbahce in the 2013 UEFA Champions League play-off round with Arsenal, starting both legs as the Premier League side secured a 5-0 aggregate victory to reach the group stage. He set up Aaron Ramsey's opening goal in the second leg at the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal had won 3-0 in Istanbul.
The rivalry deepened after Podolski joined Galatasaray in 2015. During two seasons in Istanbul, he became a regular in the Intercontinental Derby, helping Galatasaray win the 2015 Turkish Super Cup and the 2015-16 Turkish Cup, where the Lions defeated Fenerbahce 1-0 in the final. He also scored 34 goals in 75 appearances for Galatasaray before moving to Japan in 2017.
However, he never celebrated a victory at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, where Fenerbahce went more than 20 years without losing a home derby to Galatasaray before the streak ended with a 3-1 defeat in February 2020.
Podolski returned to Türkiye with Antalyaspor in 2020, renewing his rivalry with Fenerbahce for two more seasons before finishing his playing career with boyhood club Gornik Zabrze.
Across all competitions, Podolski faced Fenerbahce 10 times, recording three wins, four draws and three defeats while scoring two goals and providing three assists against the Yellow Canaries.
Podolski officially retired from football after the 2025-26 season and took control of Gornik Zabrze, the club where he began his career. He helped lead the team to its first Polish Cup title in more than 50 years before stepping into ownership, with the triumph securing a return to European competition.
"Football can sometimes be strange and funny. My first official match as Gornik Zabrze's owner is in Türkiye against Fenerbahce, which gives it a special meaning," Podolski wrote earlier on social media.
"As someone who was part of one of football's biggest derbies and proudly represented Galatasaray, this is a very special moment for me. Maybe retirement can wait a little longer; perhaps it's time to put the boots back on and compete once again."
Although the 40-year-old is no longer playing, Gornik will look to build on last season's domestic success as they chase their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League proper since the competition was rebranded in 1992.
The Polish club's last European Cup campaign came in the 1988-89 season, when they reached the second round before bowing out to Real Madrid.
The return leg is scheduled for July 29 in Poland, with the winner advancing to face either Sturm Graz or Hearts in the third qualifying round.
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