Fenerbahce vs Lokomotiv Moscow - Fenerbahce coach sets aside political concerns

Posted Tuesday, February 16, 2016 by PA

Fenerbahce coach Vitor Pereira says politics will play no part in his side's UEFA Europa League first-leg tie against Lokomotiv Moscow in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated rapidly since Turkey shot down a Russian jet in November, putting this week's meeting into sharp perspective.

But Pereira is adamant it will not be a factor as his side look to continue to bounce back from their first loss in 26 matches earlier this month.

Pereira said: "Football is football and politics is politics, and tomorrow we will just play football. I believe that both teams will not consider the political aspects, and we will just play a football match.

"If we win it will be an advantage but we must play with intelligence and balance. We must wait patiently for our chances, because otherwise we will have chaos."

Fenerbahce qualified for the group stages after coming second in Group A but although they also go into the game sitting top of the Turkish Super Lig, they are still reeling from a shock 4-2 loss at Antalyaspor earlier this month.

Pereira's men will also have to cope without injured pair Lazar Markovic and Abdoulaye Ba as well as Diego Ribas, who is suspended for three games after his sending-off in the group-stage game against Celtic.

Lokomotiv went into the Russian Premier League's mid-season break in third place and reached the knockout stages after winning Group H, losing just one game in the process.

But coach Igor Cherevchenko has a major headache up front having lost striker Oumar Niasse to Everton at the end of last month.

Niasse scored four goals in the competition for Lokomotiv this season and Cherevchenko will now call on 20-year-old striker Aleksey Miranchuk to step up and fill his departed team-mate's boots.

Cherevchenko said: "In football anything is possible and of course it will hurt the group because of Niasse's goals and the way he was carrying the team forward.

"But now we need to try some different options and the future of Aleksey Miranchuk in particular looks good."