Aston Villa head into their Europa League clash with Fenerbahce looking to quickly put their weekend disappointment behind them.
Softfootball reported that After winning 11 straight home games at Villa Park, Unai Emery’s side suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Everton on Sunday, despite registering 18 shots without scoring. The result halted their momentum in the Premier League, where they remain third and well placed in the top-five race.
Attention now turns to Europe, where Villa are enjoying an impressive campaign. They sit third in the Europa League standings with 15 points from six matches, level with leaders Lyon and Midtjylland, and have already secured at least a playoff place.
A positive result in Istanbul would put them firmly on course for automatic last-16 qualification ahead of their final game against Red Bull Salzburg.
Ahead of the match, Aston Villa shared Emery’s comments on their official X handle, with the manager saying:
They have very good players, they have a fantastic atmosphere with their supporters, we respect them a lot.
The message underlines the respect Villa have for their opponents and the challenge that awaits.
Fenerbahçe, in red-hot form after four straight wins in 2026 and a Super Cup triumph over Galatasaray, showed their strength again as they held Manchester United to a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Europa League, underlining why they sit just off the Turkish league summit and near the top-eight race in Europe.
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Fenerbahce remain without Archie Brown, Levent Mercan and Sebastian Szymanski, while several January signings are ineligible. Villa will miss John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley, with Jadon Sancho a doubt.
Possible lineups
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Semedo, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Muldur; Fred, Yuksek, Talisca; Asensio, Duran, Akturkoglu
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Konsa, Digne; Bogarde, Tielemans; Guessand, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins
Prediction
Most major platforms expect a tight contest, with a 2-2 draw widely tipped in what should be an entertaining night in Istanbul.
Where to watch
The UEFA Europa League clash between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa will take place on Thursday, January 22, 2026, with kick-off set for 5:45 PM UK time (12:45 PM ET).
In the United Kingdom, the match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming available via discovery+. Fans in the United States can watch on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and TUDN, with additional streaming options on fuboTV and Paramount+. In Canada, the game will be available to stream live on DAZN.
