fenerbahçe - nottingham forest: Tedesco stresses tactical flexibility as Cherif earns first start

Fenerbahçe head coach Domenico Tedesco framed Tuesday's UEFA Europa League play-off first-leg against Nottingham Forest as a tactical test and a must-win occasion, underlining squad versatility and individual preparation. Kickoff at Chobani Stadium is scheduled for 12: 45 PM ET, with the home side determined to take the first step in the two-legged tie.

Tactical flexibility and opponent profile

Tedesco painted Nottingham Forest as a physically intense, direct side that can shift shapes under new leadership. He warned that the English visitors are similar to Aston Villa in terms of strength and energy, noting their reliance on wide crosses and long passes. "They play many crosses, they play long balls. They have a vertical approach. It will be a difficult match, " he said, flagging the need for acute defensive attention to aerial threats and transitions.

At the same time, Tedesco stressed that a recent managerial change on the opposition bench complicates pre-match analysis. He argued that while formations can change, player profiles do not: "System changeable, players don’t change. In the last two days we concentrated on players and their individual performances. Each player has a certain template; you can’t change that. " The coach framed this as a reason to focus on individual matchups and tailored tasks rather than fixating on a single formation.

That pragmatic approach informs his selection flexibility. Tedesco emphasized his squad's capacity to operate in multiple systems and portrayed unpredictability as an asset: "It’s good that our players can play in different systems. That makes us more unpredictable for opponents. " He referenced shifting between four-man and three-man defensive structures when necessary and promised readiness for either scenario the visitors present.

Cherif handed first XI opportunity amid rotation talk

In a notable selection move for the tie, 19-year-old forward Sidiki Cherif was named in the starting lineup for the first time in Fenerbahçe colors. Cherif, signed on loan with a purchase option from Angers, has previously featured only in late substitutions during domestic fixtures. The coach’s decision to start the teenager in such a high-stakes European encounter signals faith in his potential and a willingness to use squad resources dynamically.

Tedesco has been explicit that formation alone does not dictate performance; rather, it is the players’ comfort in their roles and communication on the pitch. He outlined the coaching staff’s deliberations over midfield shape, calling their internal debates part of the process to identify the best collective balance. "A coach’s job is to bring the team and the best players together. We discussed ideas internally and decide what is best for the team, not for the coach, " he said, when explaining the rationale behind various midfield concepts.

Cherif’s inclusion could reflect a desire for fresh movement in the final third and an element of surprise against an opponent expected to press and deliver crosses. Whether he starts in a two-forward set or a more compact diamond will be one of the early tactical markers of how Fenerbahçe intend to open the tie.

Mindset, margin for error and Europa ambitions

Tedesco repeatedly returned to mentality: viewing every knockout fixture as a final and demanding near-perfect focus from minute one. He refused to quantify Fenerbahçe’s continental chances, asserting that the percentage is irrelevant to the required commitment. "I don’t know how much chance we have in Europe—90 percent or 10 percent—what matters is to give everything. We must see every match as a final, " he said.

He also warned against complacency, stressing that any error in European knockout football is likely to be punished. That message underpins a conservative tactical baseline: be organised, minimise mistakes and exploit opponent vulnerabilities when they appear. With the first leg at home and the return away, Tedesco framed the match as an opportunity to set the tie’s tone and build momentum.

Expect a contest framed by tactical caution, intense duels at both ends, and a coach willing to adapt his system to the immediate challenge. For the young Cherif, the night represents a personal milestone; for the team, it is a chance to convert preparation and flexibility into a decisive opening result ahead of the second leg.