THE Vitor Pereira era begins in the most hostile environment imaginable as Nottingham Forest travel to Istanbul to face Fenerbahçe in the Europa League.
It has been a whirlwind week at the City Ground. Following a drab 0-0 draw with Wolves that left the club 17th in the Premier League, Sean Dyche was sacked, with the club moving swiftly to appoint Vítor Pereira as his replacement.
The Portuguese boss faces a baptism of fire against his former club. Fenerbahçe have turned the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium into a fortress this season, winning four of their last five domestic games. With star forward Anderson Talisca in red-hot form—netting 18 goals this season—the Turkish giants will look to exploit Forest’s fragility before the return leg in England.
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The betting angle: Talisca to test the new boss?
With Chris Wood sidelined due to knee surgery, the goalscoring burden falls squarely on Igor Jesus. The Brazilian has been Forest’s specialist in this competition, scoring 6 goals in the Europa League this season. He will be supported by Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who will look to hit Fenerbahçe on the break.
However, Fenerbahçe are lethal at home. Kerem Aktürkoğlu has been outstanding in Europe, with 5 goal contributions in his last 3 games, while Anderson Talisca provides the cutting edge. Forest’s defence has looked shaky all season, and a clean sheet in Istanbul feels unlikely.
- Our tip: Fenerbahçe to Win & Both Teams To Score
- The longshot: Igor Jesus to score anytime
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📺 How to watch Fenerbahçe vs Nott’m Forest
- Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
- Kick-off: 5:45pm GMT
- Venue: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul
- TV Channel: TNT Sports 3 & TNT Sports Ultimate.
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About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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