Fenerbahçe hold advantage as Sturm Graz host Champions League qualifier
Sturm Graz welcome Fenerbahçe to the Merkur-Arena on 11 August for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie, with the Turkish side holding a significant cushion after winning the first meeting 2-0.
That result, played on 5 August, means Sturm Graz must overturn a two-goal deficit on home soil to keep their European ambitions alive, while Fenerbahçe need only avoid a heavy defeat to progress.
Form and history
Both sides arrive in decent recent form. Sturm Graz have won three of their last five matches, drawing one and losing one, while Fenerbahçe have been the slightly sharper of the two across the same span, winning four of their last five with a single draw and no defeats.
The clubs have met before in continental competition, with two encounters back in 2017 during a UEFA Europa League tie. Fenerbahçe won the away leg in Graz 2-1, before the return fixture in Istanbul ended 1-1.
What is at stake
With the first leg already gone Fenerbahçe's way, Sturm Graz face the task of finding a route back into the tie in front of their own supporters, needing to score freely while keeping a clean sheet to force any additional passage into the next round.
For Fenerbahçe, the priority will simply be managing the deficit they carry into the match, with their recent run of form offering some encouragement that they can see the tie through.