Nottingham Forest vs Fenerbahce Prediction 26 February 2026
🔊 On February 26, City Ground will host the second leg of the UEFA Europa League playoff, where Nottingham Forest will face Fenerbahce. The first encounter in Istanbul ended with a sensational 3-0 rout of the Turkish giants. Now, Vitor Pereira's side must maintain their comfortable lead, while Domenico Tedesco's squad needs a remarkable performance to turn the tide and advance to the Round of 16.
Head-to-Head
📊 Last week, the teams faced off for the first time in history, and the match was dominated by Nottingham. The Forest displayed remarkable efficiency, capitalizing on their chances by scoring twice in the first half. Fenerbahçe's coach, Domenico Tedesco, noted that his team struggled to handle the opponent's pressing in the opening 30 minutes, leaving them with little time on the ball. Goals from Murillo and Igor Jesus before the break were a direct result of this pressure, and Gibbs-White's third goal early in the second half sealed the victory.
Head-to-head statistics Nottingham Forest - Fenerbahce
Nottingham Forest Team Overview
Vítor Pereira's team, having replaced Sean Dyche as head coach, kicked off their era with a commanding away victory. The Forest not only won in Istanbul but dismantled Fenerbahçe across all metrics. The shot count (23-6) and expected goals (2.29-0.59) fully highlight the Reds' dominance. Their high pressing and aggressive off-the-ball play overwhelmed the opposition.
Despite their European success, they sit just two points above the relegation zone in the Premier League, occupying 17th place. In their last outing, they suffered a narrow defeat to Liverpool (0-1), conceding heartbreakingly in the seventh minute of stoppage time. This extended Nottingham's winless streak at home to three matches, with just one victory in their last seven encounters at the City Ground.
Match Results: Nottingham Forest
Fenerbahce Istanbul Team Overview
The Turkish giants are facing a squad crisis. Ahead of the match, several key players are sidelined, making the task of overturning a 0-3 deficit nearly impossible. The "Canaries" will have no choice but to attack from the outset-there's simply no other option for the team. Crosses and set-pieces will be their main weapons against a compact defense.
Of course, there's also hope in the individual brilliance of players like Marco Asensio, whose goal secured a draw in their last Turkish league match. However, the fact that Fenerbahçe couldn't defeat relegation-threatened Kasimpasa at home (1-1) raises questions about the team's mental readiness before their trip to the Foggy Albion.
Match Results: Fenerbahce Istanbul
Latest news
Nottingham Forest
🎙 Vitor Pereira on the defeat to Liverpool: "Frustration is what overwhelms us all. We played a fantastic first half. We understood that things could change in the second half because fatigue was still there; we played three days ago and spent another four hours on the road. But in any case, the defeat is a great injustice. We deserved to earn a point."
❌ Still sidelined are John Victor, Chris Wood, and Willy Boly. Mats Sels and Nicolo Savona are showing promising recovery progress, but it's unlikely we'll see them on the pitch in the upcoming match. However, these absences also plagued the 'Foresters' before their encounter in Istanbul.
Fenerbahce Istanbul
🎙 Domenico Tedesco, ahead of the return leg against Nottingham, stated: “Why should the Europa League be over? We are determined to make a comeback. We don't think we're out yet; that would be a big mistake. I don't have such thoughts in my mind. Yes, we have injuries, and the situation is challenging, but over the course of a long season, you can face such circumstances. It's February now, and we've already played 34 matches. That's as many games as you play in an entire season.”
❌ Fenerbahçe will be without key defenders: Milan Škriniar picked up an injury in the first leg against Nottingham, and Jayden Oosterwolde received an additional yellow card. Fred is also suspended, and Edson Álvarez underwent surgery for an ankle injury and is sidelined for an extended period.
🟨 Yellow Card Prediction
The first leg was intense, but the return promises to be even more nerve-wracking. Fenerbahçe are likely to commit fouls to disrupt the hosts' attacks, sometimes out of sheer desperation. Nottingham, on the other hand, will tactically foul their opponents to prevent them from gaining momentum and staging a comeback. Given the squad issues and the fiery temperament of the visitors, their fouls might be rougher. Therefore, a good betting option could be Fenerbahçe's individual total over 2.5 yellow cards.
Referee Maurizio Mariani averages 3.9 warnings per game over his last ten matches and 4.2 over the last five. We think the Italian will try to calm things down on the field with cards, which would support our bet.
⚽️ Goal Prediction
The match scenario is clear: the visitors will be forced to push forward in numbers from the start. Fenerbahçe's defense, weakened by the absence of their main center-back pair, is likely to make mistakes, allowing Nottingham's speedsters like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus to exploit spaces on counterattacks.
Fenerbahçe might manage a goal of pride but won't withstand the hosts' pressure. A bet on both teams to score (yes) seems natural since the "Canaries" have scored in eight consecutive away matches.
🚩 Corner Prediction
The scenario remains similar: Fenerbahçe will attack frequently, cross, and shoot from distance, leading to numerous corners for the hosts. Nottingham will also earn corners through counterattacks. Total over 9.5 corners appears logical, as it has been recorded in 6 of Nottingham's last 7 matches and in 7 consecutive Europa League games for Fenerbahçe.
🚀 Player Stats Bet
Morgan Gibbs-White scored and assisted in the first game. He is Nottingham's leader and will look for opportunities on counterattacks against Fener's weakened defense. There's a good chance the Englishman will succeed. A solid option is a productive action from the midfielder, while for riskier bettors - Morgan Gibbs-White to score and assist at odds of 7.35, just like last week.
😱 Risky Bet
Considering Fenerbahçe's significant defensive losses and their forced attacking style, the return leg could also turn into a rout. Nottingham dominated in Turkey and can replicate that performance at home. Therefore, it makes sense to consider a bet on the hosts winning with a -2.5 handicap at odds of 4.75.
👀 If the Match Doesn't Go as Planned
The match might not go as planned if Fener scores an early goal and goes into halftime with a two-goal lead. Even then, we wouldn't rush to write off the hosts. The Turks would have to open up even more to completely erase the deficit, giving the "Forest" more space. In that case, you could catch a good live bet on Nottingham not to lose.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
Editorial Prediction
A dominant victory in Istanbul and significant personnel losses for Fenerbahçe leave little room for a miraculous comeback. Nottingham, under their new manager, play with pragmatism and are likely to exploit the open spaces that will inevitably arise on the visitors' half of the field. Given their struggles in the Premier League, the Forest will do everything possible in the Europa League to delight their fans and secure a confident passage to the Round of 16. Our main pick is a Nottingham Forest win, with a predicted scoreline of 3-1.
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Betting Tips: Nottingham Forest - Fenerbahce Istanbul
in 5 of last 6 away games.
in 6 of last 7 home games.in last 12 away games.in 7 of last 8 games.in 28 of last 29 Nottingham Forest games.in last 14 Nottingham Forest home games.in last 7 Nottingham Forest games (Europa League).in last 9 Fenerbahce Istanbul games (Europa League).in 8 of last 9 Fenerbahce Istanbul games.in 20 of last 22 games.in last 8 away games.
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