Fenerbahce encounters Feyenoord in the initial match of the third qualifying round for the Champions League
In the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round of the 2025-26 season, Turkish club Fenerbahce will travel to Rotterdam to face Dutch side Feyenoord at De Kuip Stadium on Wednesday. The return leg of the tie will take place on Aug. 12 at Fenerbahce's home stadium in Istanbul.
Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg has been appointed to officiate the encounter, which is scheduled for 10 p.m. Turkish time (7 p.m. GMT) and will be broadcast live.
Fenerbahce will be without Anderson Talisca for the match, as the club has decided not to risk him in the encounter. Robin van Persie, on the other hand, will coach the Dutch side known as Feyenoord.
The expected starting lineups for the match are as follows:
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup: - Goalkeeper: Egribayat - Defenders: Muldur, Skriniar (captain), Oosterwolde, Semedo - Midfielders: Fred, Szymanski, Amrabat, Brown - Forwards: Duran, Aydin
Feyenoord possible starting lineup: - Goalkeeper: Wellenreuther - Defenders: Lotomba, Watanabe, Ahmedhodzic, Bos - Midfielders: Hwang, Timber, Moussa, Steijn, Sauer - Forward: Ueda
Feyenoord are facing a defensive crisis, with multiple center-backs sidelined due to injuries, and left-back Gijs Smal also missing. This has forced new signings Ahmedhodzic and Watanabe to pair centrally. Fenerbahce, too, have some absentees, with players like Rodrigo Becao, Diego Carlos, Cengiz Under, and Emre Mor unavailable.
Fenerbahce aims to return from the Netherlands with an advantageous score ahead of the Aug. 12 return leg in Istanbul. The Turkish club has a rich history in the Champions League qualifying rounds, having played 38 matches so far, where they have recorded 14 victories, 12 draws, and 12 defeats while scoring 56 goals and conceding 46.
Both teams have recorded two victories each in their previous four encounters, with Feyenoord scoring three goals compared to Fenerbahce's two. Fenerbahce will be hoping to leverage home advantage in the return leg to secure their progression in the tournament and move one step closer to the group stage of Europe's premier club competition.
The winner of this two-legged tie will advance to the Champions League playoff round.
In the UEFA Champions League, Fenerbahce's Turkish player Robin van Persie will face his former team Feyenoord, the Dutch side he now coaches. This encounter will take place at Istanbul, Turkey, during the return leg of the third qualifying round for the 2025-26 season. Fenerbahce hope to gain an advantageous score during the match in Rotterdam, Netherlands, as they aim to progress in the tournament and reach the group stage of the Champions League.
