Iraola's Fenerbahçe warning: "A very tough battle awaits us"

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola said a difficult test awaits his side ahead of their Champions League clash with Fenerbahçe.

The Reds have made a perfect 3 out of 3 start to the league phase of the new-format Champions League. Having beaten Atlético Madrid, LASK and Villarreal, the English giants sit third in the table ahead of the fourth matchday. With 12 goals scored along the way, Liverpool are enjoying their most prolific start after the first three matches since the 1980-81 season, when they went on to win the competition.

However, Liverpool's record on Turkish soil gives cause for concern. The English side have failed to win any of their 6 away matches against Turkish teams in the history of the European Cup and Champions League, losing five of them, including the last four in a row (1 draw). With Liverpool having never lost 5 times in a row away against teams from any single country in UEFA's premier club competition, head coach Iraola said a hostile atmosphere awaits them in Kadıköy.

Speaking ahead of the tough fixture, Iraola said: "It definitely won't be easy. You can talk about the statistics, especially the games English teams have played here. Fenerbahçe have a great squad made up of very high-quality players, and they know very well how to play in this stadium. We have to make a strong start to the game."

Highlighting Fenerbahçe's strength in midfield, the experienced coach added: "They have very good, technically gifted players in midfield. If we let them play comfortably on the ball and fail to apply the necessary pressure, we will be in serious trouble. They have experienced players who know these levels very well, so we must not let them grow in confidence on the pitch."

Fenerbahçe and Liverpool will meet in an official competition for the first time in their history. Liverpool have won only four of their 11 matches against Turkish sides in Europe's premier club competition (2 draws, 5 defeats), with their most recent victory a 4-0 win over Galatasaray in March this year. Fenerbahçe, who drew 2-2 with Slavia Prague in their last match, have now gone 10 games without a win in the Champions League (4 draws, 6 defeats).