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This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
In the first leg of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League play-off round, Fenerbahçe and Benfica faced each other on 20 August 2025 in Istanbul.
Before the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round, Fenerbahçe Sports Club hosted a formal dinner for the management of Portuguese representatives Benfica and a UEFA delegation. The event took place on 19 August 2025 and was hosted by Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç.
Representing Fenerbahçe were Vice President Sertaç Komsuoğlu General Secretary Burak Çağlan Kızılhan and board members Hakan Safi Hulusi Belgü Rıfat Perahya and Özgür Özaktaç. Representing Benfica were President Rui Costa Vice President Manuel Brito General Secretary João Salgado and executive Nuno Catarino. Also in attendance were UEFA delegate Peter Palencik and Benfica’s communications officer Bruno Dias Sá. The event concluded with mutual gift exchanges and contributed to strengthening the diplomatic relationship between the two clubs ahead of the match.
On Tuesday 19 August 2025 at Fenerbahçe’s Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium head coach Jose Mourinho and player Nelson Semedo addressed the media.
Mourinho stated that Benfica is an experienced and strong team and therefore he did not consider his side the favorite. He emphasized that regardless of the match result his team would give their all and highlighted that qualifying for the Champions League is of immense sporting and economic importance. He also noted that fan support could be decisive as it had been in the match against Feyenoord and stressed that his players must treat the first leg as if it were a final.
Semedo confirmed that his physical condition is good and that he aims to regain match rhythm through playing. While acknowledging Benfica’s strong atmosphere he stated that Fenerbahçe’s fan support could provide an advantage. Semedo confirmed that Benfica had made a transfer offer to him and identified Jose Mourinho as one of the main reasons for his decision to join Fenerbahçe.
Jose Mourinho (AA)
The match was played on Wednesday 20 August 2025 at 22:00 at the Chobani Stadium within the Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Sports Complex. It was officiated by Daniel Siebert of the German Football Association. Assistant referees were Jan Seidel and Dominik Schaal the fourth official was Daniel Schlager Christian Dingert served as VAR and Johann Pfeifer as AVAR.
The match began with a low-tempo and controlled game. In the 2nd minute Benfica launched an attack from the right flank. After a pass from Aursnes Rios struck a powerful shot which was saved by goalkeeper İrfan Can Eğribayat. The rebound was cleared by the defense.
First Leg: Fenerbahçe – Benfica (AA)
First Leg: Fenerbahçe – Benfica (AA)
After the match head coach Jose Mourinho stated that the two teams approached the game with different intentions. He said Fenerbahçe aimed to win while Benfica played for a draw. Mourinho did not make any definitive predictions regarding the return leg but indicated that after completing the match against Kocaelispor his focus would return to Benfica.
Mourinho also noted that his team lacked dynamism in the final stages of the match and that Benfica controlled the game better after being reduced to ten men. He stated that they needed to increase the tempo after Florentino’s dismissal but were unable to do so.
The return leg will be played on Wednesday 27 August 2025 at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon Portugal. Fenerbahçe and Benfica will compete in the second leg to determine which team advances to the Champions League group stage following the 0–0 draw in the first leg.
In the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 play-off round, Benfica and Fenerbahçe faced each other on 27 August 2025 at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. The match, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg, was broadcast live on TRT 1 and officiated by Slavko Vincic from the Football Association of Slovenia. Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the only goal of the match in the 35th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for the home team and qualifying Benfica for the UEFA Champions League group stage. Fenerbahçe, on the other hand, progressed to the UEFA Europa League group stage with this result.
Second Match: Benfica - Fenerbahçe (AA)
Fenerbahçe head coach Jose Mourinho, in his pre-match remarks ahead of the away leg against Benfica, stated that their sole objective was victory and emphasized that details would be decisive at this level. Mourinho noted that his team was accustomed to playing under pressure and highlighted the players’ experience in such high-stakes encounters. Anderson Talisca of Fenerbahçe acknowledged Benfica as a strong side but affirmed that his team would do everything necessary to win.
Pre-Match Press Conference Jose Mourinho (AA)
On the Benfica side, head coach Bruno Lage stressed the importance of fan support and emphasized the need for a focused performance over the full 90 minutes. Benfica’s Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea stated that they did not consider losing at home and expressed their strong desire to remain in the Champions League.
Pre-Match Press Conference Bruno Lage (AA)
Trubin – Dedic – Antonio Silva – Otamendi – Dahl – Barrenechea – Rios – Aursnes – Barreiro – Kerem Aktürkoğlu (76' Schjelderup) – Pavlidis (76' Ivanovic)
Livakovic – Mert Müldür (65' Oğuz Aydın) – Skriniar – Oosterwolde – Semedo (17' Çağlar Söyüncü) – Amrabat (46' İsmail Yüksek) – Fred – Brown (65' Duran) – Szymanski – Talisca – En-Nesyri
Home side Benfica started the match with intensity, creating dangerous opportunities early on through effective use of the right flank. In the 3rd minute, Barreiro received a pass from Pavlidis and shot from close range, but goalkeeper Livakovic narrowed the angle to deny the goal. In the 9th minute, a curling shot from Pavlidis, following a pass from Rios, bounced off the defense and struck the corner flag. In the 10th minute, Kerem Aktürkoğlu’s corner kick was headed down by Antonio Silva, and Pavlidis finished the move, but the goal was disallowed for offside. In this incident, Fenerbahçe defender Semedo suffered an injury and was unable to continue, being replaced by Çağlar Söyüncü in the 17th minute.
Benfica took the lead in the 35th minute. A loose ball in front of Barreiro was not cleared by Fenerbahçe’s defense, allowing Barrechea to play a pass into the left diagonal of the penalty area where Kerem Aktürkoğlu received the ball and struck it immediately into the net. With this goal, Benfica led 1-0. Fenerbahçe struggled to withstand the pressure throughout the first half, lacked offensive creativity, and went into halftime trailing 1-0.
Second Match: Benfica - Fenerbahçe (AA)
Fenerbahçe began the second half by introducing İsmail Yüksek to strengthen midfield resistance. Benfica, in contrast, played a controlled game focused on preserving their lead. In the 61st minute, the home side came very close to a second goal. A corner kick from the right flank resulted in a header from Antonio Silva near the penalty spot, which Livakovic tipped onto the crossbar.
In the 72nd minute, Fenerbahçe nearly equalized. A cross from the right by Oğuz Aydın met a header from En-Nesyri, which struck the crossbar and bounced back. Immediately after, in the 73rd minute, Oosterwolde delivered a cross from the left, and Talisca headed it, but the ball narrowly cleared the crossbar and went out of play. Fenerbahçe were effective in attack during these moments but failed to find the equalizing goal.
In the 83rd minute, Fenerbahçe were reduced to 10 men. After a midfield incident, Talisca received a second yellow card and was sent off with a red card. From that moment on, Benfica retreated into their own half, adopting a defensive strategy to protect their lead and used fouls to disrupt Fenerbahçe’s pressure. No further goals were scored in the remaining minutes, and the match ended 1-0 in favor of Benfica, securing their place in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Second Match: Benfica - Fenerbahçe (AA)
Following the match, Fenerbahçe head coach Jose Mourinho acknowledged that Benfica played better in the first half but praised his team’s reaction in the second half. Mourinho noted that his side had not been aggressive enough in individual duels during the opening period but emphasized that they became more offensive and decisive in the second half. He stated that the failure to convert chances created by En-Nesyri and Talisca had affected the outcome and that playing with 10 men disrupted the balance of the game. The Portuguese coach highlighted Benfica’s strength as a team, adding: “In the second half we showed a dignified attitude; my players gave their absolute best. We were more aggressive and put pressure on the opponent.” He also conceded that Benfica deserved their victory based on their performance in the first half.
In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 season play-off round, Fenerbahçe drew 0-0 with Benfica at home. Prior to the match, club officials and a UEFA delegation met for an official dinner, and head coach Jose Mourinho and player Nelson Semedo made statements at a press conference. Throughout the match, both teams played a controlled and low-tempo game. In the first half, dangerous situations were created by players such as Rios, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Szymański, but goalkeepers Trubin and İrfan Can Eğribayat prevented any goals. In the 71st minute, Florentino of Benfica was sent off with a red card, and in the 81st minute, Talisca’s shot hit the post. Subsequently, a goal scored by En-Nesyri was disallowed for offside. After the match, Mourinho stated that the opposition had sought a draw and achieved it, while his team had aimed for a win but failed to secure it. The return leg will be played on 27 August 2025 in Lisbon.
In the return leg of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 season play-off round, Fenerbahçe lost 1-0 away to Benfica and was eliminated from the tournament. At the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, the home team secured victory in the 35th minute through a goal by Kerem Aktürkoğlu. Our representatives created significant chances in the second half through En-Nesyri and Talisca but failed to score. After Talisca was sent off with a red card in the 82nd minute, Fenerbahçe finished the final phase with ten players. The yellow and navy team will continue their campaign in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.
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August 20, 2025
First Leg: Fenerbahçe 0–0 Benfica
August 27, 2025
Second Match: Benfica 1-0 Fenerbahçe