Injury-hit Fenerbahçe faces daunting test at Nottingham

ISTANBUL

Nottingham Forest's Ivorian midfielder #06 Ibrahim Sangare (L) and Fenerbahçe's Turkish forward #09 Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu (C) fight for the ball during the UEFA Europa League - knockout round play-off first leg - football match between Fenerbahce SK and Nottingham Forest FC at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium in Istanbul on Feb. 19, 2026. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)

Fenerbahçe travels to the United Kingdom on Feb. 26 to face a defensive "red alert" and a three-goal deficit as it takes on Nottingham Forest in the second leg of a Europa League playoffs clash.

The Istanbul club arrived in England with its backline decimated by a flurry of recent injuries, leaving manager Domenico Tedesco with a major selection headache as he attempts to overturn a 3-0 first-leg loss.

The injury crisis reached a breaking point during Fenerbahçe's 1-1 draw with Kasımpaşa on Feb. 23. Starting center-backs Çağlar Söyüncü and Jayden Oosterwolde were both forced off in the first half, Söyüncü with a back injury and Oosterwolde with a groin strain. They join veteran defender Milan Skriniar, who was sidelined during the first leg against Forest last week, and Edson Alvarez, who remains out following ankle surgery.

The absences leave 19-year-old Yiğit Efe Demir as the only natural center-back available. Tedesco has been forced to experiment with makeshift solutions, including dropping midfielder Matteo Guendouzi into the heart of the defense against Kasımpaşa.

Goalkeeper Ederson is also out for at least three weeks, so 29-year-old Tarık Çetin, who has played only two Süper Lig games in his career, will be on the field against Nottingham.

Fenerbahçe’s task is further complicated by the absence of star midfielder Fred and the potential loss of talisman Talisca, both of whom are expected to miss the trip.

"We are in a difficult moment with the number of players we have lost in such a short window," Tedesco said.

"We must find solutions from within our own squad and stay united. Players who haven't had much playing time will be called upon. The most important thing is that we don't let our morale drop. Our job is to ensure that doesn't happen."