Aston Villa away is the one that matters
Fenerbahçe play their first Champions League away match of the season at Aston Villa on Wednesday, 21:00 CEST (1) (3) (12). The squad trained tactically and is now waiting on kick-off (1). Week 2 of the league phase, and it is the trip everyone has been circling.
Your Champions League so far: 1–1 at home to Roma on September 10. Two points from two would be a good return from Villa Park.
Unai Emery's side host you, and Sports Mole has already mapped out a predicted XI for him (6) (7).
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Lukaku owns Aston Villa
Romelu Lukaku has 8 goals in 11 matches against Aston Villa (5). Semedo has played them 10 times too (5). Whatever Villa's back line looks like on Wednesday, Lukaku has scored past them before, and often.
Kartal has five players playing again
İsmail Kartal has turned around players who were below expectations last season, and Ederson is the headline name (2) (9). That is the form story behind this run: three wins in the last four, 13 points from 7 games, 4th in the table (10) (11).
Kerem Aktürkoğlu still has not scored
Kerem Aktürkoğlu has no goal contribution in 12 official matches this season (4). That is the number fans keep bringing up, and it is a real problem with a Champions League away night coming (4).
Rizespor 0–3, and the table
Çaykur Rizespor 0–3 Fenerbahçe on Saturday, October 10 (9) (10) (11). A clean away win in week 7.
Galatasaray lead on 16, Beşiktaş have 15, you have 13. Alanyaspor at home on Saturday, October 17, then Slavia Prague at home on Tuesday, October 20, then Galatasaray away on Monday, October 26.
Fan reactions
Fenerbahçe fans are not the loudest voice in this batch. A Galatasaray thread is tracking whether Wilfried Singo will be back in the squad for the Fenerbahçe game, which tells you how much the derby on October 26 is already on the other side's mind. Read it here.
