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Fates conspire against Fenerbahçe

Brave words are being spoken, but after a 3-1 first-leg defeat at FC Dynamo Kyiv, Fenerbahçe SK's UEFA Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread.

Brave words are being spoken, but after a 3-1 first-leg defeat at FC Dynamo Kyiv, Fenerbahçe SK's UEFA Champions League hopes hang by a thread.

'We can get through'
On the eve of tonight's deciding tie in Istanbul, Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım said: "We would like to go as far as we can in the UEFA Champions League. I don't see Dynamo Kyiv as an impossible obstacle. We can get through." Fenerbahçe have started the domestic season in peerless form, topping the table with three straight wins. However, the Kiev result led some critics to conclude that Zico's squad were too good for Turkey but ultimately not strong enough for Europe.

Summer signings
Domestic runners-up in 2005/06, Fenerbahçe have been reasonably restrained in the transfer market. Left-sided midfielder Uğur Boral arrived from Ankara outfit Gençlerbirliği SK while in recent days a deal was sealed for Uruguay central defender Diego Lugano. The biggest signing was Besiktas JK playmaker Tümer Metin. An instant hit, his presence has allowed Brazilian forward Alex to take a more aggressive attacking role, although a lack of finishing power up front is a hindrance.

Anelka stand-off
French striker Nicolas Anelka has gone on record to say he is bored with Turkish football and eager to return to the English Premiership. There has been interest from Portsmouth FC and Bolton Wanderers FC but, for the time being, Anelka is training apart from his team-mates. His absence has been compounded by the club's decision not to extend Márcio Nobre's loan from Cruzeiro EC. The Brazilian scored 46 goals in 80 league games for Fenerbahçe, but Yıldırım said: "We did not renew his contract as we planned to sign a more useful player for Europe."

Young players
Ahead of the Dynamo decider, Zico confirmed he would not be fielding Anelka but that Ghana captain Stephen Appiah should start. Youngsters Semih Şentürk, Can Arat and Kerim Zengin may also get the chance to impress. Meanwhile, defender Ümit Özat is keen for home supporters to remain calm. "From time to time our fans are showing negative reactions during games," he said. "We are a young side so the supporters should get behind us all the time. We are expecting more patience at the Dynamo Kyiv match."

UEFA Cup place
Should Fenerbahçe fail to overturn their two-goal deficit, they will qualify for the UEFA Cup, but for the club's ambitious followers, anything less than a place in the UEFA Champions League would still mark a disappointing return.

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