The first leg of the 2025/26 Champions League third qualifying round between Feyenoord (Netherlands) and Fenerbahce (Turkey) will take place on August 6 at De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam. Feyenoord vs. Fenerbahce: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Feyenoord
The Rotterdam side finished third in the last Eredivisie, earning a spot in the Champions League, starting from the third qualifying round. This marks the team's third consecutive participation in this European competition, although in the previous two seasons, they received direct entry to the main stage of the Champions League. In the last edition of this tournament, Feyenoord reached the round of 16, where they were eliminated by Inter (0-2 and 1-2).
- At least three goals have been scored in regular time in 11 of Feyenoord's last 14 Champions League matches.
- Both teams have scored in 8 of Feyenoord's last 11 Champions League games.
- Feyenoord has an uncompromising home record in regular time in the Champions League, with 14 matches (6 wins and 8 losses).
Predicted lineup for Feyenoord (4-2-3-1)
Timon Wellenreuther – Jordan Lotomba, Theis Kraaijeveld, Jordan Bos, Tsuyoshi Watanabe – Quinten Maduro, Sem Steijn – Hwang In-beom, Anis Hadj-Moussa, Leo Sauer – Ayase Ueda.
Fenerbahce
The Istanbul side finished second in their national league last season. As in the previous season, this position granted the team a spot in the Champions League qualifying round. Last year, the club started a bit earlier, from the second qualifying stage, but was stopped at the next stage by Lille, losing in extra time – 1-2 and 1-0, extra time 0-1. This defeat against the French club was Fenerbahce's only loss in regular time in their last 7 matches in this European competition (3 wins and 3 draws).
- A maximum of three goals have been scored in regular time in 7 of Fenerbahce's last 8 Champions League games.
- Both teams have scored in 4 of Fenerbahce's last 5 matches in this tournament.
- In their last 7 away matches in this European competition, Fenerbahce has only won once in regular time (1 draw and 5 losses).
Predicted lineup for Fenerbahce (4-2-3-1)
Irfan Can Egribayat – Mert Muldur, Yusuf Akcicek, Jayden Oosterwolde, Archie Brown – Fred, Bartug Elmaz – Irfan Kahveci, Sebastian Szymanski, Oguz Aydin – Jhon Duran.
Referee
Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Matches – 12 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 42;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.5;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 25%.
Feyenoord vs. Fenerbahce: Match Prediction
Feyenoord doesn't frequently appear in the Champions League, but in the last two editions, they managed to advance to the knockout stages of European competitions. The team performed particularly well last season, reaching the round of 16 in this tournament. It's worth noting that at home, the club won 3 of their last 4 Champions League matches, defeating opponents like Milan and Bayern without conceding a single goal.
The Dutch side needs to perform well at home to progress further in the tournament, as playing in Istanbul will be challenging even to secure a draw. I believe Feyenoord has a good chance of winning, as Fenerbahce struggles on foreign grounds, having suffered 5 defeats in their last 7 away Champions League matches. During this away match series, Fenerbahce only managed to defeat modest Lugano and drew with Dynamo Kyiv.
My prediction – Feyenoord with a handicap (0)
