Fenerbahçe didn’t just celebrate a major victory over Lyon. It made history for Turkish soccer as a whole, putting an end to a losing streak that had lasted since 2009.
The Turkish team won 2-1 at the “Parc Olympique Lyonnais” and, combined with the 1-1 draw in the first leg in Istanbul, secured its place in the Champions League group stage with an aggregate score of 3-2.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The result held special historical significance. Since the 2009–10 season, when UEFA divided the Champions League qualifiers into the Champions Path and the League Path, no Turkish team had managed to reach the final phase of the competition via the non-champions route.
This change was made with the aim of creating a separate path for champions of smaller European leagues and for teams that secured a spot in the qualifiers through their rankings in the strongerleagues.
For Turkish teams, however, the League Path has turned into a veritable “curse” over the years. From Sivasspor against Anderlecht in 2009–10 to Fenerbahçe against Benfica in the 2025–26 season, all attempts ended in elimination.
Fenerbahçe itself had experienced several disappointments along this path. It had previously been eliminated by Young Boys, Spartak Moscow, Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Monaco, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv, and Lille, without ever managing to overcome the final hurdle.
This time, however, the situation has changed. With a 3-2 victory over Lyon, Fenerbahçe became the first Turkish team to qualify for the Champions League group stage via the League Path.
At the same time, this success marks yet another significant milestone for Turkish soccer, as for the first time since the 2007–08 season, there will be more than one Turkish team in Europe’s top club competition.
The historic night in France was also marked by high tension after the final whistle. Former Lyon player Mateo Geduzzi, celebrated Fenerbahçe’s advancement wildly and made gestures toward the VIP box, provoking a reaction from the home fans.
*photo source: KYPE
