Turkish Teams Suffer Early Champions League Exits

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, two prominent Turkish football clubs, were eliminated from the Champions League qualifying rounds. Galatasaray lost to Young Boys, while Fenerbahce was ousted by Lille. Salzburg and Sparta Prague also advanced. The final team lineup will be determined after the last playoff matches on Wednesday.

Galatasaray has joined Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce in experiencing an early exit from the Champions League qualifying rounds. The Turkish team lost in the playoffs to Switzerland's Young Boys, ensuring no Turkish clubs will be present in the revamped group stage of Europe's premier competition.

Young Boys secured a 1-0 win in the second leg with a goal from Alan Virginius, clinching a 4-2 aggregate victory. This result was particularly surprising given Young Boys' bottom position in the 12-team Swiss league.

Fenerbahce, led by Mourinho in his inaugural season, suffered a third-round qualifying defeat to Lille two weeks ago. Alongside this, Salzburg and Sparta Prague secured their spots in the 36-team group stage by eliminating Dynamo Kiev and Malmo, respectively. The final lineup will be concluded following four more playoff matches on Wednesday, with the draw scheduled for Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)