Mansion Sports – A major match will take place in the Europa League league phase as Fenerbahce host Aston Villa in a decisive fixture filled with prestige and ambition.

Aston Villa travel to Turkey with a determination to bounce back after an unsatisfactory result in the Premier League last weekend.

They will face Fenerbahce in the seventh match of the Europa League league phase, a match that could be highly decisive for the final positions in the standings.

This match is scheduled to take place at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on Thursday, 22 January 2026 at 20.45 local time.

The two teams last met in the first round of the UEFA Cup in the 1977–78 season, when Aston Villa dominated with a convincing 6-0 aggregate victory on their way to the quarter-finals.

Before the match begins, take note of recommendations from Mansion Sports on where to watch Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa January 2026 so you do not miss the exciting action.

The Condition of Both Teams Ahead of the Match

Fenerbahce

After closing 2025 with a 2-1 home defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Cup, Fenerbahce opened 2026 in a very impressive manner.

They recorded four wins from four matches across all competitions, including a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup final.

The Yellow Canaries remain on track in the pursuit of their first Super Lig title since 2014.

A 3-2 victory over Alanyaspor last Sunday left them just one point behind league leaders Galatasaray, while also maintaining their unbeaten league record after 18 matches this season with 12 wins and six draws.

In the Europa League, the team coached by Domenico Tedesco have collected 11 points from six league-phase matches.

After losing their opening match against Dinamo Zagreb by a score of 3-1, Fenerbahce then secured three victories and two draws, opening up a strong opportunity to finish at least in the top 24.

The opportunity for automatic qualification to the round of 16 also remains wide open, especially after a dominant 4-0 victory over Brann on 11 December, which lifted them to 12th place out of 36 teams, just two points outside the top eight with two matches remaining against Aston Villa and FCSB.

Throughout history, Fenerbahce have faced English clubs 20 times and have recorded only four victories, two draws, and 11 defeats.

Their most recent victory over an English team came when they defeated Manchester United 2-1 at home in the group stage of the 2016–17 Europa League season.

Regarding the squad condition for Fenerbahce, three players, namely Archie Brown (toe), Levent Mercan (muscle), and Sebastian Szymanski (groin), remain sidelined due to injury.

Meanwhile, January signings Matteo Guendouzi, Anthony Musaba, and Mert Gunok are not eligible to feature in the Europa League until the knockout phase.

Fenerbahce have the opportunity to field two former Aston Villa players in their starting lineup.

Jhon Duran is likely to lead the forward line, which would allow Talisca to operate again in midfield. Marco Asensio can also be deployed in a central role or out wide.

Several former Premier League players such as Ederson, Nelson Semedo, Fred, and Edson Alvarez are also available to start.

Meanwhile, key winger Kerem Akturkoglu is expected to remain a starter after scoring four goals, the most in the team, in six Europa League matches this season.

Aston Villa

After recording 11 consecutive home victories at Villa Park across all competitions with a total of 23 goals, Aston Villa were forced to accept a bitter reality after losing 1-0 to Everton at home last Sunday.

That result prevented them from cutting the gap to four points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Villa failed to capitalize on 18 shot attempts in that match, something that last occurred in October 2022. Unai Emery’s disappointed reaction after the match also drew attention.

However, the Spanish coach’s post-match comments surprised many, after he described his team as “not contenders” to finish in the top five because there are still “other teams with greater potential.”

Currently, Villa sit third in the Premier League standings and hold a nine-point advantage over Chelsea in sixth place.

They are set to travel to Newcastle United next weekend, but the main focus at present is the Europa League clash against Fenerbahce.

Aston Villa have a strong chance of almost securing an automatic ticket to the round of 16 with one match remaining, namely against Red Bull Salzburg on matchday eight at the end of the month.

They are also already guaranteed at least a place in the knockout phase playoffs, sitting third in the 36-team standings with 15 points from six matches, level with Lyon and Midtjylland.

Emery’s side last recorded a 2-1 victory over Basel in Switzerland on 11 December, and Villa approach this match with confidence after winning four of their previous six meetings against Turkish teams, scoring 11 goals and conceding only three.

Meanwhile, regarding the squad condition for Aston Villa, John McGinn was withdrawn with a knee injury in the first half against Everton and will join Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley who is also suffering from a knee injury, as well as Amadou Onana who has a thigh problem.

January signing Alysson is not eligible to play in the Europa League until the knockout phase, while Jadon Sancho will undergo a fitness test ahead of kick-off after missing the Everton match due to illness.

Unai Emery is still considering playing Marco Bizot in goal in place of Emiliano Martinez.

In defense, Victor Lindelof, Tyrone Mings, and Lucas Digne are hoping to return to the starting XI in place of Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Ian Maatsen.

Without McGinn, the right-wing position is likely to be filled by Sancho if fit or Evann Guessand. Emiliano Buendia will continue to operate on the left side, while Morgan Rogers will play in a more advanced role behind Ollie Watkins, who has yet to score in six Europa League matches this season.

Where to Watch Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa January 2026

For viewers who want to watch and are looking for where to watch Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa January 2026, depending on the country of residence, this match can be watched through official streaming platforms such as:

• TNT Sports
• DAZN
• Paramount+
• beIN Sports
• VTVCab
• SPO TV