Ghanaian defender Alexander Djiku remains optimistic about Fenerbahce's chances of advancing to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League under the management of Jose Mourinho.

Fenerbahce is set to travel to France for the third round of qualifiers against LOSC Lille, aiming to progress to the next stage of the competition.

Reflecting on the previous season, Djiku noted, "Last year, we thought we could face Lille in the Conference League semi-finals, but we were eliminated by Olympiacos on penalties in the quarter-finals (Lille were also eliminated by Aston Villa). It could have happened earlier."

Lille could potentially have Canadian striker Jonathan David available for the match following his participation in the Copa America.

Despite David's potential return, Djiku is unfazed.

"Jonathan David is a very talented player and a great mover on the pitch. He is also very effective in deep runs. Lille with Jonathan David and Lille without him are two different teams.

However, we did not have a special preference for the opponent, whether it was Lille or another team. The road will be difficult but we are confident," Djiku added.

Fenerbahce's focus remains firmly on overcoming Lille to advance further in their quest for a spot in the Champions League group stage.