Turkish club Fenerbahçe have earned the right to compete in the UEFA Champions League again after an 18-year absence.

The Istanbul-based Fenerbahçe defeated French club Lyon 3–2 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League play-off round, securing a place in the league phase of the tournament.

In the second leg played at Lyon’s stadium, Vedat Muriqi opened the scoring for the Turkish side in the 24th minute, while Archie Brown scored in the 28th minute to give Fenerbahçe a crucial advantage. In the 61st minute, Lyon forward Malick Fofana pulled a goal back for the French side. However, Lyon were unable to equalise.

The first match between the two teams, played in Istanbul, ended in a 1–1 draw. Therefore, the victory in the second leg was enough for Fenerbahçe to secure a 3–2 aggregate win.

Thus, Fenerbahçe will compete in the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time since the 2008/09 season. This achievement has become one of the significant moments in the Turkish club’s history in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.