With two rounds remaining in the group stage of the Europa League, Fenerbahçe have yet to lose their chances of reaching the top eight, while Olympique Lyonnais have almost secured their place in the Round of 16. This head-to-head clash in Istanbul is likely to be a test for both sides, as each needs a victory, which should open up the game.
In this season's Europa League campaign, Fenerbahçe have been somewhat inconsistent—between defeats to AZ Alkmaar (1:3) and Athletic Bilbao (0:2) there was a fairly confident victory over the resilient Slavia Prague (2:1). In 2025, the team managed four consecutive wins, scoring 12 goals in the process. Against Adana Demirspor (4:0) on Sunday, all Fenerbahçe's goals came within 22 minutes, with their main forward, Yusuf En-Nesyri, contributing 2+1 to the tally.
Conversely, January has not been the best for Olympique Lyonnais. Their elimination by Bourgoin-Jallieu (2:3 after a penalty shootout) from the lower French divisions underscores their struggles. However, in European competition, Olympique Lyonnais have been in brilliant attacking form, netting 15 goals in six fixtures (the second-best attack in the tournament). In the Europa League, they have collected seven points in three away games and were the first to surpass the benchmark of 10+ accurate shots.
Fenerbahçe might benefit from Lyon’s open style of play (four out of six Europa League matches saw over 2.5 goals scored). The squads are roughly equal in strength, promising a competitive offensive showdown. Therefore, the bet here should be on high scoring.
