Fenerbahçe, Benfica in Champions League standout clash
One of the standout clashes in the Champions League playoff round will take place on Tuesday, as Fenerbahce welcome Benfica to Sukru Saracoglu Stadium for the first leg of their tie.
The Yellow Canaries are aiming to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2008-09, while the Portuguese giants are looking to secure a fifth consecutive appearance in the competition.
Fenerbahce entered the Champions League qualifiers in the third round and were forced to dig deep, edging past Dutch side Feyenoord 6-4 on aggregate, suffering a 2-1 defeat on the road, before responding emphatically at home with a 5-2 victory to book their place in this stage.
However, the challenge now grows tougher, as they face a Benfica side that reached the round of 16 last season and are established regulars at this level.
Benfica, meanwhile, have begun their season in perfect fashion, winning all four matches across competitions without conceding a single goal.
They lifted the Portuguese Super Cup with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon, before dispatching French side Nice 4-0 on aggregate in the Champions League third round.
The experience and European pedigree of Jose Mourinho is a big factor for Fenerbahce heading into this clash, however, their struggles against a well-drilled team was evident once again over the weekend, and when Benfica’s solid defensive shape is considered, they could cause all sorts of problems for the Turkish side, as they also possess a potent attack.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Celtic welcome Kazakh Kairat to Glasgow
Celtic welcome Kazakh champions Kairat to Glasgow on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie.
Kairat are seeking to become just the second club from Kazakhstan to qualify for the Champions League, while Celtic are aiming for a fourth straight appearance in the competition proper.
With a 7,000-mile round trip on the horizon next week, Brendan Rodgers will hope his Celtic side can get most of the job done in this first leg, before the treacherous trip east.
The Celtic players and staff are facing a near 10-hour one-way flight to reach Almaty next week, the same place where Chelsea faced Astana last season, and took a team full of reserves to the outpost in what is essentially central Asia.
Rodgers’s men have been afforded ample time to prepare for this first leg, after being given the Friday night slot in the Scottish League Cup over the weekend, beating Falkirk 4-1.
Celtic have maintained a 100% record in the early stages of the season, beating Falkirk in the cup after starting with back-to-back victories in the league, and that sets them up nicely for this encounter.
The Scottish club are familiar with playing as big favourites, so the pressure should not get to them, and Rodgers will be keen to build up a big advantage so he can rest some players in the second leg next week.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Basel host Copenhagen at St Jakob-Park
With a place in the Champions League group-stage draws at stake, Basel will welcome Copenhagen to St Jakob-Park on Wednesday evening, aiming to take the initiative in the first leg of this playoff tie.
While this marks the Swiss side’s opening outing in this season’s qualifiers, the Danish visitors had to overcome Drita and Malmo to secure their passage to this round of the competition.
Basel were once a dominant force in the Swiss Super League at the turn of the century but lost their grip after clinching their 20th title in 2016-17.
With a reputation for making it into the draws after reaching this stage – having managed the feat in four of their last five attempts – Basel will hope their familiar formula proves effective once again in this contest.
Copenhagen, on the other hand, approach the clash buoyed by a 3-1 victory away to Nordsjaelland at the weekend, making it three wins from four in the Danish Super Liga and underscoring that their title defence is progressing steadily.
Unlike their Swiss hosts, the Danish champions were required to navigate the early qualifying rounds, entering at the second stage due to the nation’s lower UEFA coefficient.
Both teams have pedigree when it comes to reaching the group stages, and with so much on the line, this promises to be a fiercely competitive battle, but Basel may just edge it on the strength of home advantage.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Fixtures
