Fenerbahce vs Nottingham Forest Prediction 19 February 2026
🔊 The marquee matchup of the first Europa League slot features Fenerbahce taking on Nottingham. Surprisingly, both teams failed to break into the top 8 after the group stage, forcing them into the playoffs. The first leg of this two-legged tie is set for February 19 at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul, where Domenico Tedesco's squad will aim to establish a solid advantage before their trip to the British Isles. Will they succeed?
Head-to-Head
📊 The upcoming match marks the first-ever head-to-head encounter between Fenerbahce and Nottingham Forest.
Head-to-head statistics Fenerbahce - Nottingham Forest
Fenerbahce Istanbul Team Overview
Fenerbahce wrapped up their Europa League campaign in 19th place, accumulating 12 points. The team suffered defeats both at home and away - to Aston Villa (0-1) and Dinamo Zagreb (1-3) respectively. However, they drew three matches, which ultimately thwarted their bid for a direct ticket to the top eight.
It's crucial to highlight that Domenico Tedesco's side are currently in excellent form. They boast a streak of four consecutive wins, netting 11 goals in the process. The "Canaries" are performing strongly in the Turkish Cup, with a high likelihood of advancing to the playoffs, and they sit second in the Super Lig standings, trailing leaders Galatasaray by just three points. The team's key players are in outstanding condition. Over the last three matches, Anderson Talisca has recorded 2 goals and 1 assist, Kerem Akturkoglu has contributed 3 goals and 1 assist, while Marco Asensio has delivered 2 goals and 2 assists.
Match Results: Fenerbahce Istanbul
Nottingham Forest Team Overview
Nottingham navigated the Europa League group stage under the guidance of two managers - Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche. The Englishman fared significantly better than the Australian, securing four wins in six matches. However, a disappointing 0-1 loss to Braga in the penultimate round dashed their hopes of reaching the Round of 16, with the "Tricky Trees" finishing in 13th place.
Amidst their struggles in the Premier League, where Forest sit just three points above the relegation zone, Sean Dyche was dismissed. Vítor Pereira, who was let go by Nottingham earlier in the fall, has returned to take the helm. This marks the fourth managerial change for the "Tricky Trees" this season. Will it be the last?
Match Results: Nottingham Forest
Latest news
Fenerbahce Istanbul
🎙 At a recent press conference, Domenico Tedesco was asked about extending his contract, to which he responded: "I feel very comfortable at Fenerbahçe. I'm full of love for the club and the fans... But it's not solely up to me. We've got a match against Forest coming up, then Kasımpaşa, then Forest again, followed by Antalya and Gaziantep. There's also an important cup match. We have a very tight schedule. The priority is not the coach, not me, but Fenerbahçe winning matches. We need a lot of energy, and there's plenty of work to do. I'm very happy here."
❌ Fenerbahçe have just two personnel issues, but both are significant. Defender Archie Brown, who was sidelined in mid-December, has returned to training but isn't ready to play yet. Midfielder Edson Álvarez underwent surgery for an ankle injury and is out for an extended period. However, with Matteo Guendouzi and N'Golo Kanté now in the midfield, this shouldn't pose a major problem for the "Canaries."
Nottingham Forest
🎙 Vitor Pereira has taken the helm at Nottingham Forest, having previously led Fenerbahce on two separate occasions. At his first press conference as Forest's head coach, the Portuguese manager stated: "We have very good players; they are talented and driven. My task is to shape the identity I want to see in the team. It won't be easy, I understand that. Every coach has their own approach to leading a team. It's crucial for the players to believe in what we are doing. Today, I explained the essence: they need to settle into their roles and believe in themselves. They must recognize my competence and my hard work aimed at helping them."
❌ Nottingham's injury list leaves little room for comfort. Goalkeepers Matz Sels and John Victor, defenders Nicolo Savona and Willy Boly, as well as veteran forward Chris Wood are all sidelined. These significant losses impact every line of the squad.
🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards
In Turkey, things always heat up, no matter who comes to play. Fenerbahce's last three home games in the Europa League have seen at least seven yellow cards each. The upcoming match will be officiated by Sandro Scharer, who is not known for sparing the cards. Over his last five matches, the Swiss referee has averaged four yellow cards per game. We anticipate a real battle and are betting on over 3.5 yellow cards. The teams' average stats align with this: 4 and 2.3 per game in favor of the hosts.
⚽️ Goal Prediction
Fenerbahce have found the net in 15 of their last 16 home matches-a remarkable record! However, the "Canaries" also tend to concede regularly at home, doing so in 8 of their last 9 encounters. We expect Tedescu's men to concede again in the upcoming match, as Nottingham have been performing well in the Europa League and are riding high after the arrival of their new manager. Following this logic, we're betting on both teams to score (yes).
🚩 Corner Prediction
We believe Fenerbahce will control the territory and earn a significant number of corners. But Nottingham won't just sit back defensively. Interestingly, the "Forest" ranks in the top 6 of the Premier League for average corners per game (5.62), delivering more than 3.5 in 12 of their last 13 matches across all competitions. We expect them to help the hosts exceed over 9.5 total corners. This bet has come through in 8 of the last 9 matches involving both the "Canaries" and the "Forest".
Editorial Prediction
It's uncertain how Nottingham will perform under their new manager. We anticipate that the visitors will find the net, but they are unlikely to secure a win in Istanbul. Our editorial team predicts Fenerbahçe, whose attacking leaders are in excellent form, will triumph with a scoreline of 2-1.
However, we don't recommend betting on the outcome directly. A less risky option seems to be focusing on corners. Adding to the above information, here are the average statistics for both teams in the current Europa League campaign: Fenerbahçe averages 5.3 corner kicks per game compared to Nottingham's 3.9. Both teams actively utilize set pieces, making a bet on over 9.5 corners appear promising.
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Betting Tips: Fenerbahce Istanbul - Nottingham Forest
in 18 of last 20 home games.in 10 of last 11 games.
in 19 of last 20 games.in 15 of last 16 home games.in 8 of last 9 away games.in 8 of last 9 Fenerbahce Istanbul home games.in last 6 Fenerbahce Istanbul games.
in last 5 Sandro Scharer games (in the Europa League).
in 8 of last 9 home games.
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