Preview & Prediction - 14.03.2013
Viktoria Plzen manager Pavel Vrba believes Galatasaray's Champions League triumph over Schalke will act as a timely reminder about the standard of Turkish opposition.
Plzen take on Fenerbahce in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, hoping to overcome a one-goal deficit from the first leg.
Vrba's outfit were seen as the favourites to progress to the next stage after completing an impressive 5-0 aggregate win over Napoli in the last round, and their domestic form has only heightened those expectations with Plzen currently topping the Czech League.
However, they must now travel to Turkey on the back of a 1-0 defeat and Vrba insists his team are under no illusions about the challenge they face in Istanbul.
"I just hope that after Galatasaray's win over Schalke on Tuesday, it is clear to everyone that the Turks are not bad footballers. Fenerbahce also have great quality," he told Aktualne.cz.
"We have always been in a slightly different position. Now we know that we have to score once to at least extend the match."
The hosts come into this encounter full of confidence, following up last week's victory in Plzen with a crucial 4-1 hammering of Bursaspor in the Super Lig, yet they will be wary of facing a team that are unbeaten in their last three European trips.
Fenerbahce midfielder Selcuk Sahin was part of the team that registered a precious away goal last time out but he admits the tie is far from over.
"We gained an advantage in the first game, but we are not yet through," he told the club's official website.
"We are aware of the strength of our opponents and we are going to play the game with the same seriousness. It will not be easy."
