Nottingham Forest return to European action this week with their Europa League play-off clash against Fenerbahce.
The Reds ended up in this stage of the competition following a drab 1-0 defeat in Braga, which pretty much ended Forest’s hopes of finishing in the top eight and avoiding this round.
Fenerbahce are chasing the title in Turkey this year and currently trail Galatasaray by three points in that quest, with attention now set to turn towards a game against Forest.
Vitor Pereira is the new Forest manager, replacing the sacked Sean Dyche, and he will want to get off to a good start against the club which he used to manage on two occasions.
Ahead of the clash, we’ve looked at five unique facts about Fenerbahce to get you in the spirit of our first knockout match of this year’s Europa League.
Vitor Pereira has sent the fans a message but what advice would YOU give the new Nottingham Forest boss?
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Remarkable campaign for Fenerbahce in 1922/23
It might be many years ago but in the 1922/23 campaign, Fenerbahce were rampant in the Turkish top-flight.
Not only did they win the league at a canter but they did so without conceding a single goal!
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Fenerbahce finished top of an eight-team division, with a record of 11 wins and one draw from 12 games and scored 58 goals, keeping 12 clean sheets.
Unique location for Fenerbahce’s stadium
The Sukru Saracoglu Stadium hold a very unique geographical location and Forest fans can tick an almighty box by visiting this venue on Thursday.
It’s located in the Kadikoy district on the Asian side of Istanbul, which means when they face fierce rivals Galatasaray, they are essentially defending their continent.
It’s actually one of the few major derbies in world football where fans must cross a sea to reach the other stadium.
Vitor Pereira oversees his final Wolves game
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Fenerbahce are Guinness World Record holders
Dig deep into the Guinness World Records and you will find Fenerbahce written.
That’s because the club holds the record for the most successful general sports clubs, with football not its only focus.
Fenerbahce also have hugely successful teams in basketball, volleyball, rowing, athletics, swimming and sailing.
Club name derives from a lighthouse
If you’re wondering what Fenerbahce means, it essentially is named after a lighthouse.
Fener is the word for lighthouse, with Bahce translating to garden, and the club was located on the peninsula where it was founded in 1907.
As a result, the club have always worn yellow and blue to represent the elegance of the club and the nobility of the sea.
Historically famous fan
It’s believed that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, was a Fenerbahçe supporter.
In May 1918, Ataturk visited the club’s headquarters and signed the honour book, with many fans now of the opinion that he was actually a fan of the football club.
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