Tactics
Portuguese head coach Vítor Pereira tends to prefer a 3-4-2-1 formation but has fielded a more conventional 3-4-3 on occasion this season. Ecuadorian international striker Enner Valencia is currently in fine form, scoring twice in three league games.
On the sidelines
Eintracht’s assistant coach Michael Angerschmid will take the reins from head coach Oliver Glasner, who has to sit out a ban. SGE will also have to do without their captain Sebastian Rode, who is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
Fenerbahce will not be able to call on former Darmstadt player Serdar Dursun, İrfan Can Kahveci or José Sosa, all of whom are out due to injury.
One to watch: Mesut Özil
After three years at Real Madrid and then seven and a half seasons at Arsenal, Mesut Özil – a player who has won almost everything there is to win in football – chose to begin a new chapter in his career and ply his trade in his parents’ homeland. This season, Özil has already recorded a goal and an assist in his first two matches.
Key stats and runs
Eintracht have won 14 of their past 18 European group stage matches, with the other four ending in defeat.
Fenerbahce’s record against German opposition will bolster Eintracht’s confidence, with the team from Istanbul winning one, drawing two and losing eight of 11 European ties.Of their past 15 European away matches, Fenerbahce have won two, drawn six and lost seven.
Previous meetings
Eintracht Frankfurt and Fenerbahce have faced each other only once in the past, in the group stage of the 2006/07 campaign. The match in December 2006 ended in a 2-2 draw in Istanbul.
