Sturm Graz faces Fenerbahçe Istanbul in Champions League qualifying

Verbatim quote: "Die Türken erreichten am Mittwoch nach dem 1:0-Heimsieg im Rückspiel bei Gornik Zabrze in Polen ein 1:1 und stiegen damit auf."

What awaits Sturm Graz

For Sturm Graz, the tie against the big club from the Bosphorus is one of the toughest tasks the European competition has to offer at this stage. Fenerbahçe has a noticeably larger squad than the Graz side and has for years been a regular in the European group stages.

At the same time, the Graz side's qualifying campaign so far has not been without hurdles. According to the club, the preparation programme has been adjusted several times in order to be able to analyse each opponent as early as possible. The coach and sporting management stressed that, despite the difficult draw, they continue to believe in their own chance.

Table situation and possible consequences

The duel with Fenerbahçe also raises the travel-stress factor for Sturm Graz: an away trip to Istanbul, where the Volksstadium Istanbuuls fans await the Graz side, is regarded as one of the most atmospheric – but also most difficult – away days in European football.

Should Sturm Graz come through against Fenerbahçe, the hurdle to a first Champions League group-stage appearance since the 2000/01 season would presumably be cleared. Reaching the group stage alone would be a sporting and financial milestone for the club.

On Fenerbahçe's side, national and international self-image is at the forefront: the club is a title contender in Turkey and has repeatedly tried in recent seasons to qualify for the Champions League – but has more often ended up in the Europa League or Conference League.

Outlook on the further rounds

The draw for the next qualifying round also brought the result of a parallel match with significance for the UEFA rankings: Heart of Midlothian from Edinburgh is also still in the running, and the exact tableau will be finalised after the outstanding first legs.

From Graz on Wednesday evening it was said that the squad had taken the news of the draw "mit Respekt, aber auch mit Vorfreude". In the coming days, squad planning, the trip to Istanbul and the media coverage of the match will be coordinated.

The exact match date and kick-off times will be officially communicated by UEFA in the coming days. What is certain is that Sturm Graz will enjoy home advantage in the first leg and play the return leg at the Istanbul Volksstadium.

Should the draw lead to a scheduling clash with the Austrian Bundesliga's opening weekend, a postponement would be possible – but that decision lies with UEFA and the national association.