Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahce: prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups – 26 February 2026
The second leg of the 2025/26 Europa League play-off round takes place this Thursday in Nottingham at the legendary City Ground, where Nottingham Forest will host Istanbul giants Fenerbahce. The first encounter in Turkey ended in a sensational rout for the hosts – Forest left Istanbul with a commanding 3-0 victory, putting one foot firmly into the next round. Here’s why I’m backing another high-scoring affair in this matchup.
Match preview
The trip to Istanbul was essentially a fresh start for the Tricky Trees – Vítor Pereira’s debut after Sean Dyche’s dismissal couldn’t have been more emphatic. Forest fired 23 shots on goal, pressed with intensity, and netted three unanswered goals—showing they know exactly how to punish mistakes. Just three days later, they suffered a heart-breaking late defeat to Liverpool, but performance-wise, Forest matched one of the Premier League’s elite stride for stride.
At City Ground in the Europa League, Forest have played with courage and flair: four home matches have produced 11 goals, and they haven’t been held to a single goal in any of them. They dispatched Porto, Malmö, and Ferencváros with authority; their only slip – a 2-3 loss to Midtjylland – looks more like an outlier. With a three-goal cushion, Pereira can afford some rotation, but don’t expect the structure or intensity to drop.
Fenerbahce find themselves in dire straits. That 0-3 defeat at home was a blow not just to their tournament ambitions but also to team morale – they managed just six attempts at goal. To make matters worse, in the very next Turkish league fixture, Fenerbahce let a win slip away against Kasimpasa (1-1), conceding a late equalizer to a side playing with ten men.
Injuries and suspensions pile on the misery: Milan Skriniar is sidelined, Jayden Oosterwolde is suspended—both are key central defenders. Edson Álvarez is also out. Fenerbahce’s record in England is bleak – between 2004 and 2016, they managed just one draw against five defeats, with a goal difference of 3:15. Now, with a weakened backline, the Turkish side must go on the attack – a risky proposition against a team that thrives at home.
Probable lineups
- Nottingham Forest: Ortega; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Sangaré, Anderson; McAtee, Bakwa, Domínguez; Lucca.
- Fenerbahce: Moraes; Semedo, Söyüncü, Demir, Müldür; Kapacak, Guendouzi; Talisca, Asensio, Aktürkoğlu; Sheriff.
Match facts and head-to-head
- The first leg in Istanbul ended with a 3-0 win for Nottingham, with the visitors firing 23 shots on goal.
- Nottingham have won their last three Europa League home matches by at least two goals.
- Fenerbahce have not won away to English clubs in the 21st century.
Prediction
A three-goal advantage allows Forest to play with composure and flexibility, while Fenerbahce’s losses in central defense seriously dent their comeback hopes. The English side are bold and prolific at home, and even with moderate rotation, should keep the game firmly under control. Expect another high-scoring contest here.
