Fenerbahce pain is APOEL's gain - Cypriot side take the Europa League place of banned Turkish outfit



Cypriot side APOEL have been handed a second crack at this season's Europa League after taking the place of the excluded Fenerbahce after the 'lucky losers' draw in Monaco on Friday morning.



The draw was was necessary after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Fenerbahce’s appeal against their two-year exclusion for match-fixing after a widespread investigation which rocked Turkish football.

Fenerbahce would have dropped into the Europa League after losing their Champions League play-off with Arsenal, but APOEL, who lost their two-legged tie 3-2 to Zulte Waregem, will take part instead.

Back in business: Despite losing 3-2 to Zulte Waregem, APOEL Nicosia have taken the Europa League place of the banned Fenerbahce

European ban: Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is sent flying under the challenge of Fenerbahce's Emmanuel Emenike during the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg. The Turkish side lost the match 5-0 on aggregate and have been replaced in the Europa League by APOL

Rare sight: Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, right, has a shot on goal as Fenerbahce's Egemen Korkmaz looks on. The Turks will not play in Europe for two years

UEFA expelled Fenerbahce in June after judging that club officials helped fix matches to win the 2011 Turkish league title. The organisation rules bar clubs which are implicated in fixing matches played since April 2007.

Fellow Turkish side, Besiktas have also been excluded from this season's Europa League, less than 24 hours after they qualified for the group stage.



Besiktas were initially banned by UEFA from participating after allegations of match-fixing in their 2011 Turkish Cup final win over Buyuksehir Belediyespor.

Joy to woe: Besiktas' Oguzhan Ozyakup, left, celebrates after scoring against Tromso during Europa League qualifying but the win was academic as the Turkish were excluded from the competition

They were temporarily reinstated while their appeal was heard by CAS, but the Swiss-based body has now confirmed Besiktas will not compete in the second-tier continental competition this season.



A CAS statement read: 'CAS has dismissed the appeal filed by Besiktas JK against the decision taken by UEFA to exclude it from the European Europa League 2013-14.



'Due to the urgency of the matter, the CAS Panel has issued its decision without the grounds. The full, reasoned award will be issued as soon as possible.'



Besiktas battled back from a 2-1 first-leg deficit in their play-off with Tromso on Thursday night, winning the return 2-0 to secure a 3-2 aggregate triumph.



However, it will be Tromso who advance after UEFA’s emergency panel held a meeting on Friday morning at which it decided the Norwegian team should be included in the draw for the group stage.





