Fenerbahçe Beats Sturm Graz 2-0 at Home, Opens Door to Advancing Round

Fenerbahçe defeated Sturm Graz 2-0 at home in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, with goals from Talisca and Greenwood. The yellow-and-blues enter the return match with a two-goal cushion, placing themselves in a commanding position.

Fenerbahçe's last participation in the Champions League group stage came in the 2023-24 season, which underscores the financial weight of this victory for the club's coffers: qualification to the group stage guarantees hundreds of millions of euros in additional revenue. Despite Sturm Graz's strong performance in the Austrian league this season, they failed to maintain possession in Kadıköy. The return leg will be played in Graz; Fenerbahçe will advance with a draw or any result that does not end in a loss of two or more goals.