Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Europa League match.
Fenerbahçe need to bounce back after their derby loss, but breaking down Union Saint-Gilloise's defence will be extremely challenging, even though the Belgian side haven't won in a while. Defence remains their forte.
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe lost the Istanbul derby to Galatasaray last Saturday (1:3), and to make matters worse, they lost at their own stadium. The anger directed at the players and José Mourinho was colossal. They have now allowed one of their two main rivals to gain a five-point lead, which could be detrimental to the title race. In the Champions League, the Turkish side also failed to progress, losing the two-legged tie to Lille (1:2, 1:1). José Mourinho mentioned that the elimination might be for the best, but he was largely misunderstood by fans. Despite these setbacks, the Turkish side are performing well: second place in the Süper Lig, averaging 15.7 shots and 2.3 goals per game. Before the derby, they had three clean-sheet victories in the domestic league, scoring 10 goals. Their injury list is almost empty.
Union Saint-Gilloise
If Fenerbahçe fans want to know what a really poor performance looks like, they need to look at their first Europa League opponent. Union Saint-Gilloise not only missed out on the top European club tournament but are also struggling domestically. Under the guidance of Sébastien Pocognoli, who took charge this summer, they are just one point above the relegation zone. In their last four matches, Union Saint-Gilloise have failed to score: three goalless draws and a 0:2 defeat to Royal Antwerp. They have only one win and one goal in seven games. A bet on the total under has succeeded in their last six matches. This goal drought is the reason they didn't make it to the Champions League group stage. It seems unlikely they will find much success away against a strong opponent.
Fenerbahçe vs Union Saint-Gilloise Prediction
Union Saint-Gilloise have been frankly weak in attack in recent matches, and it will be difficult for them to score at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. We don't expect a low scoring game, as has been the trend for the Belgian side recently, since Fenerbahçe's matches have only seen a low scoreline once in their last five games. The safest bet is to simply back the hosts—they will comfortably dominate their opponent.
