Europa League showdown 

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Rangers will be hoping their return to European football will be a welcome distraction from a domestic season that has more or less gone up in flames in the last few weeks. Late last month the Ibrox side sacked manager Philippe Clement following a 2-0 defeat to St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership. The club elected to hire Barry Ferguson as an interim head coach for the remainder of the season, but the 47-year-old manager has had little to celebrate in his first few weeks in the job, with a 2-1 defeat to Motherwell on Saturday now stretching Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish top-flight to 16 points. 

However, the Scottish club’s upcoming Europa League round of 16 tie is unlikely to be any easier than their domestic tests in recent weeks. On Thursday night Rangers will take on Turkish giants Fenerbahce in Istanbul with the hope of upsetting the odds and securing a spot in the quarter-finals of the European competition. But how good are Jose Mourinho’s team and is there any way for Ferguson’s under-pressure squad to get the better of their continental rivals? To find out more about Fenerbahce we spoke to Transfermarkt Süper Lig expert Sinan Yener to get answers to all the important questions. 

How has Fenerbahce’s season gone so far?

Much of European football has been watching with notable interest as Fenerbahce opted to appoint former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Mourinho last summer. But while “the Special One” may have got off to like in Turkey with a number of poor results, Yener believes the Portuguese tactician may have turned things around in Istanbul. “Fenerbahce did not start the season well,” said Yener. “It took half a season for Mourinho to adjust to the team. During this time, they fell four points behind Galatasaray. In the Europa League, they finished in 24th place. Many people questioned Mourinho during this period. However, as 2025 started, many players improved their form, and with new transfers the team became more consistent. Even though they are still four points behind Galatasaray, many believe Fenerbahçe can win the league this season because their performances have improved a lot.”

How well have they done in the Europa League?

If Rangers have any hope of getting the better of Fenerbahce over the course of the two legs, they will surely look emulate performances from the likes of AZ Alkmaar, Twente and Midtjylland, who all took points off the Turkish giants in the Group Stage of the Europa League. However, Yener believes the club’s recent play-off win over Anderlecht points to a Fenerbahce side that have improved a lot since their shaky performances in the prior round of the competition. “Fenerbahce did not perform well in the Europa League group stage,” admitted Yener. “They won only two matches, drew four, and lost two, finishing in 24th place. However, they still managed to reach the Round of 16 on 10 points. Despite a weak group stage, they played against Belgian team Anderlecht in the play-offs. The Turkish side played very well, winning 3-0 at home and drawing 2-2 away, securing a place in the Round of 16. Their home performance in the first match was one of their best games of the season, showing a solid defense and an impressive attack too.”

Who is Fenerbahce’s best player?

Turkish football has always been known for attracting some of the biggest names in European football to its shores and this Fenerbahce side is no exception. In total, the Turkish club’s squad market value stands at an impressive €242 million – which is the tenth most valuable in the competition and €167m more than Rangers’ squad market value. And when tasked with picking a single player within Mourinho’s squad for Rangers to keep an eye on, Yener struggled to name just one. “Many Fenerbahce players are in good form, making the team strong,” he added. “One of the most dangerous players is Youssef En-Nesyri. The Moroccan striker is great in the air and is one of the top goal scorers in 2025. He has scored 17 goals in 15 matches, making him the second-best scorer in European football this season after Ousmane Dembélé. New defender Milan Škriniar has also been very good, fixing many of the team’s defensive problems. On the wings, Filip Kostić and Dušan Tadić provide dangerous crosses, and former Manchester United player Fred plays an important role in midfield.

Do Fenerbahce have any obvious weaknesses?

However, for all of Fenerbahce’s impressive form in the Turkish top-flight and their strong performances in the play-offs, they are still a club that failed to qualify for the Champions League this season. And, as such, that means they are far from perfect. So how can Rangers get at Mourinho’s team over the course of the two legs and perhaps even beat their Turkish opponents? “A few weeks ago Fenerbahce’s biggest problem was their defence, as they conceded too many goals,” noted Yener.

“To fix this, they signed Škriniar and Diego Carlos. However, Carlos will not play in the Europa League, so former Premier League defender Çağlar Söyüncü is expected to replace him, along with Yusuf Akçiçek. Although their defence has improved, Fenerbahce’s biggest weakness is their aging squad. The team’s average age is 28.8, and many attacking players are over 30. This could make them tired in high-paced matches. Because of this, Fenerbahce could struggle against teams with young and fast players. For example, AZ Alkmaar beat both Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. The main reason was their young players’ speed and energy. So, fast and athletic teams could be a problem for Fenerbahce.”