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Jadon Sancho’s 25th-minute header sent Aston Villa to the Europa League last 16 automatically with a match to spare as the Premier League side won at Fenerbahce.
Restored Sancho met Matty Cash’s deflected delivery to decide the Matchday 7 contest in Istanbul, where Kerem Akturkoglu had a strike ruled out 15 minutes from time for offside against former Villa striker Jhon Duran.
Morgan Rogers also had a goal disallowed when the midfielder slotted in after the restart, with the ball ruled to have hit referee Luis Miguel Branco Godinho as part of the move.
Jadon Sancho gives Aston Villa the lead away against Fenerbahce 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/AmnMxEs01M
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 22, 2026
Fenerbahce vs Villa: Result sends visitors through
The result left the English club five points clear of the play-off places with one game remaining in the league phase.
Villa will discover their next opponents in the competition on February 27, with the round of 16 taking place across the second and third weeks of March.
Fenerbahce, who are almost certain to be in the play-offs, visit FCSB in the final round of matches on January 29 (20:00 GMT), when Villa simultaneously host Salzburg.
A 62nd win in the Europa League for Unai Emery secures Aston Villa’s spot in the last-16 👏
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/sq7iAANqMe
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 22, 2026
Fenerbahce team vs Aston Villa
Jhon Duran started for Fenerbahce alongside fellow former Villan Marco Asensio.
Fred, who spent five seasons with Manchester United, and Dorgeles Nene also came in.
Archie Brown, Levent Mercan and Sebastian Szymanski were out injured. Matteo Guendouzi, Anthony Musaba and Mert Gunok are ineligible in the Europa League until the knockout phase.
Fenerbahce starting XI: Ederson, Nelson Semedo, Milan Skriniar, Jayden Oosterwolde, Mert Muldur, Dorgeles Nene, Fred, Marco Asensio, Ismail Yuksek, Kerem Akturkoglu, Jhon Duran
Fenerbahce substitutes: Engin Biterge, Caglar Soyuncu, Edson Alvarez, Tarik Cetin, Yigit Demir, Oguz Aydin, Talisca, Haydar Karatas
Aston Villa team vs Fenerbahce
Villa made five changes from their defeat to Everton the previous Sunday and were without goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, midfielders Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Ross Barkley and new winger Alysson.
Goalkeeper Marco Bizot came in, as did Victor Lindelof and Tyrone Mings in central defence, Lucas Digne at left-back and wideman Sancho.
Midfielder Amadou Onana returned on the bench.
Aston Villa starting XI: Marco Bizot, Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Jadon Sancho, Lamare Bogarde, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa substitutes: Sam Proctor, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Andres Garcia, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana, Evann Guessand, Kadan Young, George Hemmings, James Wright
Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa stats
These sides had previously met in the UEFA Cup in 1977, Villa winning 6-0 on aggregate in the first round on their way to the quarter-finals
Fenerbahce have faced English opposition 21 times, winning on four occasions
Fener are second in the Turkish Super Lig, a point behind Galatasaray
Villa’s last European match against a side from Tukiye had seen them beat Trabzonspor 2-1 in the UEFA Cup in November 1994
They were, however, eliminated on away goals rule in that tie after a 2-2 draw on aggregate.
Across Matchday 5 and 6 of this season’s Europa League, no player had scored more goals than Fenerbahce’s Talisca (4)
This was Villa manager Unai Emery’s 100th match in the Europa League (since 2009/10), becoming the first manager to reach that milestone
The nearest manager to Emery in terms of games in the competition is Jorge Jesus on 68
Aston Villa Europa League squad 2025/26
Villa’s List A Europa League squad has been registered until the round of 16 in February 2026, when clubs can add a maximum of three new players within the existing limit of 25.
Goalkeepers: Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot
Defenders: Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Pau Torres
Midfielders: Andres García, Ian Maatsen, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, Harvey Elliott
Forwards: Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, Evann Guessand
List B submissions, comprised of players born after January 1, 2004 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.
Aston Villa Europa League schedule 2025/26
In a change from the previous group stage held until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.
The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.
Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026
Final: May 30 2026
When are the Europa League draws?
Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final: February 27 2026
Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2025/26?
Villa qualified by finishing sixth in 2024/25, although they would have been in the Champions League had they not lost at Manchester United on the final day.
Nottingham Forest’s participation comes after they were promoted from the Conference League because of a UEFA ruling against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
When is the Europa League final?
The final will take place on May 20 2026 at the Besiktas Stadium home of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.
The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Super Cup final, Chelsea and Liverpool each scoring once during regular and extra time before the Reds won on penalties following the 2-2 draw.
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