Benfica Edges Fenerbahce to Secure Champions League Spot

Benfica holds on to beat Fenerbahce and qualify for Champions League

SL Benfica secures a spot in the Champions League main draw with a 1-0 win over Fenerbahce in the playoff return leg. Read more about the match.

Benfica's seventh consecutive clean sheet played a crucial role in their victory...

SL Benfica secured a spot in the Champions League main draw with a narrow 1-0 win over Fenerbahçe at Estádio da Luz. The only goal of the tie came in the first half, courtesy of Kerem Aktürkoğlu's strike, which proved sufficient for Benfica to advance.

The match got off to a challenging start for Benfica, with Fenerbahçe's experienced side putting up a strong resistance. Given Fenerbahçe's drought in the Champions League, having last appeared in the group stage 17 years ago, the Turkish side's determination was palpable. However, Benfica's quality eventually told, and they managed to edge out their opponents despite going down to 10 men was not the case as Fenerbahçe had Michy Batshuayi sent off.

The hosts had an early scare when two potential goals were disallowed. Vangelis Pavlidis' tap-in was ruled out due to Leandro Barreiro being deemed offside and interfering with play. Shortly after, Barreiro himself had a goal chalked off via VAR for pushing Archie Brown as he headed the ball.

The wait for Benfica's opening goal finally ended in the 35th minute. Çağlar Söyüncü's error allowed Kerem Aktürkoğlu to capitalize, and he fired a powerful shot into the near top corner, giving the home crowd something to celebrate. This goal showcased Aktürkoğlu's clinical finishing and provided a much-needed breakthrough for the hosts.

The goal gave Benfica momentum, and they began to create more scoring opportunities. In contrast, Fenerbahçe struggled to break through Benfica's defense, particularly in the final third, where they found it difficult to deliver a quality pass.

#UCL League Phase: Here we go! 🌟#SLBFSK pic.twitter.com/exRDpSUd0O

— SL Benfica (@slbenfica_en) August 27, 2025

Despite José Mourinho's halftime adjustments, Fenerbahçe failed to make a significant impact in the second half. Meanwhile, Benfica's goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made a crucial save to deny Vangelis Pavlidis, preventing Benfica from falling further behind not but keeping the score to a manageable level for the away side but at this stage Benfica were not going to give up possession and any slip could see the home side capitalize.

Fenerbahçe's fortunes began to shift with 20 minutes remaining, and they narrowly missed equalizing when Youssef En-Nesyri's flick from Oğuz Aydın's cross hit the bar. Anderson Talisca was a threat, but his night took a turn for the worse when he elbowed Enzo Barrenechea, earning a second yellow card and leaving Fenerbahçe to fight with 10 men.

The numerical disadvantage proved insurmountable, and Fenerbahçe struggled to mount a significant challenge thereafter. Benfica, meanwhile, managed to hold their ground, securing their spot in the Champions League and celebrating a hard-fought victory. Despite the setback, Benfica's resilience paid off, and they advanced to the next stage of the competition.

Benfica's seventh consecutive clean sheet played a crucial role in their victory, but it was Kerem Aktürkoğlu's goal that ultimately sealed the tie in their favor. This win secured Benfica's spot in the Champions League, while Fenerbahçe's consolation prize will be a place in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

The loss puts pressure on José Mourinho, who now faces the challenge of guiding Fenerbahçe to success in both the Europa League and the Süper Lig. Failure to achieve significant results in either competition could jeopardize his tenure at the club, making the remainder of the season a high-stakes affair for the Portuguese manager.