Matteo Guendouzi will sit out Fenerbahce's next two Champions League fixtures after UEFA handed him a suspension for his behaviour during last month's playoff round. The governing body acted following a chaotic conclusion to the Turkish club's tie against Lyon, which ended in a large-scale confrontation involving players, staff and supporters.
According to Sports Mole, the 27-year-old was found guilty of breaching rules around decent conduct, specifically insulting individuals present at the stadium and provoking spectators. Alongside the two-match ban, he received a fine of £43,000.
For Aston Villa, the ruling means the Frenchman will be absent when they visit Istanbul on matchday two of the 2026-27 League Phase. He will also miss Fenerbahce's opening home game against Roma.
The absence removes a familiar figure from the opposition line-up. Guendouzi was brought to English football by Unai Emery in 2018, when the current Villa manager was in charge at Arsenal.
Emery has had other matters to address ahead of Europe's return. Villa have suffered back-to-back Premier League losses to Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal, and travel to Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Saturday evening before turning their attention to the continental campaign.
With the summer transfer window having closed on 1 September, both squads are locked in until trading resumes in January 2027, making any disciplinary absences harder to cover in the short term.
