Fenerbahce's fans cheer for their team during the Turkish Super league football match between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray on April 14, 2019 at the Fenerbahce stadium in Istanbul. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)
The Vítor Pereira era at Nottingham Forest officially begins tonight with a romantic, albeit hostile, return to the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. The “Tricky Trees” face Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in a high-stakes Europa League play-off first leg that marks a significant moment in Premier League history.
Pereira, appointed only this past Sunday, becomes Forest’s fourth permanent manager of the 2025–26 campaign—a new Premier League record. He arrives following the dismissal of Sean Dyche, whose tenure ended despite a potent European run that saw Forest net 15 goals in eight matches, their highest continental tally since the legendary 1978–79 season.
Vítor Pereira’s Full-Circle Moment
For the 57-year-old Pereira, tonight is personal. Having managed Fenerbahçe across two separate spells, he understands the “Yellow Canaries” better than most. He inherits a Forest side perched precariously in 17th in the Premier League, but one that has found a “second life” in European competition.
Pereira’s track record offers hope for the traveling fans: he has won the opening match in each of his last seven managerial roles. To extend that streak to eight, he must silence a stadium where Fenerbahçe have never lost consecutive home games in Europe.
Team News: Murillo Boost and New Faces
The headline for the visitors is the fitness of Murillo. The Brazilian center-back, heavily linked with a summer transfer to Liverpool or Chelsea, traveled to Istanbul and trained on Wednesday. Vítor Pereira confirmed he is “in contention” to start, providing a massive boost to a backline missing the injured Willy Boly and Matz Sels.
Fenerbahçe enter the tie in formidable form under Domenico Tedesco. The Turkish giants leveraged the January window to reinforce their “spine,” signing N’Golo Kanté and Matteo Guendouzi. Both are expected to start tonight as they look to break an “English hoodoo” that has seen them win just one of their last nine matches against Premier League opposition.
Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest – Match Details
Date: Thursday, 19 February 2026
Kick-off: 17:45 GMT
Venue: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul
Referee: Sandro Schärer (SUI)
TV/Live Stream: TNT Sports 3 (UK)
Tactical Outlook: The Battle for Midfield
The matchup pits Fenerbahçe’s new-look midfield of Kanté and Guendouzi against Forest’s transition-heavy style led by Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest Danger Man: Striker Igor Jesus has already matched a club record with six Europa League goals this term. One more tonight would set a new individual record for a Forest player in a single major European campaign.
Fenerbahçe Threat: Kerem Aktürkoğlu is the man in form, boasting five goal contributions in his last three matches. He and Anderson Talisca will test a Forest defense that has seen Stefan Ortega added to the European squad to replace the injured Sels.
Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineups
Fenerbahçe (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Semedo, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Müldür; Kanté, Guendouzi; Nene, Asensio, Aktürkoğlu; Talisca.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangaré; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Igor Jesus