Sabah’s tie with Lyon and Fenerbahçe is level at 1-1, and the second leg at Groupama Stadium on 26 August 2026 will decide which side reaches the Champions League league phase. Loïs Openda’s 40th-minute strike in Istanbul kept Lyon alive after the first leg, and the return match starts at 19:00 UTC.
That score leaves no room for a cautious finish. One away goal has already changed the shape of the tie, and the winner moves one step closer to the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, where the margin between progress and elimination is decided in a single match.
Lyon and Toulouse before Fenerbahçe
Paulo Fonseca used Lyon’s 2-0 win over Toulouse in Ligue 1 to manage the squad with the second leg in mind, resting a host of players. Loïs Openda, Malick Fofana and Corentin Tolisso are expected to return, while Moussa Niakhaté is expected to be fit despite an ankle issue. For readers tracking availability, that is the clearest sign Lyon are treating the home leg as the priority.
Sabah FC and the August 27 draw in Monaco points to how quickly the league phase picture can shift once qualifying is settled, and Lyon know this tie sits on that same path. The practical difference is simple: a fresh group can change tempo late in a two-leg tie, especially when one side has already used the weekend to conserve legs.
Fenerbahçe, Greenwood and Muriqi
Fenerbahçe are expected to start Mason Greenwood and Vedat Muriqi, who scored 23 goals in 37 appearances for Mallorca last season in La Liga. Their European games have averaged 1.6 goals per 90 minutes this season, and they have conceded twice in five 2026/27 Champions League outings. That mix points to a side built to keep games controlled rather than open.
The injury picture is the counterweight. Kerem Aktürkoğlu was knocked unconscious in a head collision in Fenerbahçe’s 4-2 win over Konyaspor, while Jayden Oosterwolde and Çağlar Söyüncü are also set to miss the match because of injuries. With those absences and minimal changes expected from the weekend lineup, İsmail Kartal has a narrower set of choices than Lyon.
Champions League play-offs at 19:00 UTC
Sabah beat KuPS 2-0 as Joy-Lance Mickels strikes late in Uefa Champions League shows how qualifying can turn on a single late goal, and this tie is headed for the same kind of edge. Fans following the match at Groupama Stadium should expect a game shaped by availability, not just form: Lyon are likely to add returning attackers, while Fenerbahçe must manage injuries without losing the structure that kept them in the tie.
Jagiellonia Białystok: Lech Poznań może trafić na KuPS Kuopio lub Sabah Baku w trzeciej rundzie reflects the same qualification path that now hinges on this result. If Lyon protect home advantage, they go through with a stronger bench; if Fenerbahçe absorb the absences and lean on Greenwood and Muriqi, the tie stays alive deep into the night.
