Anderlecht vs Fenerbahce prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-02-19 20:00.
[p]Anderlecht only missed out on automatic qualification from the league phase of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) on goal difference, but their journey in the competition looks likely to be over having lost 3-0 in the first leg of their knockout play-off tie against Fenerbahçe. That result represented a third successive UEL defeat for David Hubert’s men, who have now won just two of their last six games in all competitions (D1, L3).[/p]
[p]On a positive note, the Jupiler Pro League outfit have never lost four matches in a row in the UEL – including when it was called the UEFA Cup – but the deficit in this tie seems highly likely to be an insurmountable one. Just one of the last 136 teams to lose the first leg of a knockout tie in Europe’s second-tier competition by 3+ goals has gone on to progress to the next round, so if they somehow achieve the unthinkable here, Anderlecht really will be history makers.[/p]
[p]Fenerbahçe by contrast make the trip to Belgium unbeaten in 14 matches (W11, D3), while José Mourinho’s side have won their five most recent games in that sequence and scored 2+ goals in each encounter. That includes a 3-1 win against Kasımpaşa over the weekend which kept up their pursuit of the Süper Lig title as they remain hot on the heels of table-topping Galatasaray. [/p]
[p]The Turkish giants snatched the last spot in the UEL play-offs by virtue of goal difference in the league phase, and though progression to the last 16 is almost assured, they still have the chance to win both legs of a knockout tie in a major European competition for the first time since September 2006. They also have the opportunity to extend their unbeaten run in H2Hs with Anderlecht to six games (currently W4, D1).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: All three of Luis Vázquez’s UEL goal involvements so far this season for Anderlecht (G2, A1) have come in the first half. Fenerbahçe midfielder Sebastian Szymański has recorded an assist in three of his last five appearances in this competition, including one in last week’s first leg.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: José Mourinho is unbeaten in his five career meetings with Anderlecht (W4, D1).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]