Thursday’s premiere European competition returns for another edition tonight as the Europa League quarter-finals take centre stage. Our attention turns to the Lazio vs. Fenerbahce clash – a match to be played behind closed doors after UEFA banned Lazio’s fans for racist behaviour. The Biancocelesti faithful complete a two match suspension tonight, but with the game of utmost importance you wonder whether the home side can overturn a 2-0 first leg defeat without their passionate support.

A short corner is worked to Hernanes, who elects to run with the ball into the box rather than cross. He shoots high over the bar from a tight angle. Should have crossed it.

Lazio definitely on top though having survived those two early corners. Their front three are causing all sorts of problems already.

I wonder if the keeper actually had two hands on that? It was very tight as Kozak closed in.

Hernanes shapes to whip a free-kick into the box but actually elects to shoot. Demirel saves it, but spills the ball as Kozak closes in. Fortunately for the Turkish keeper he quickly gets two hands on the ball before Kozak can tap the ball home.

Hernanes finds himself in space and drives at the Fenerbahce goal. He shoots, it looks like it might be on target, but Kozak can't get out of the way in time and it cannons off the striker for a goal kick.

Erkin concedes a foul thirty yards from goal but it's blasted into the wall. Looked quite painful that.

Lazio are starting to dictate the play with Hernanes looking particularly confident on the ball. As I say that he kicks it out needlessly for a throw though...

Ederson plays a clever ball to Libor Kozak but the danger is snuffed out. Lazio have a throw in deep inside the opposition half.

Ederson does superbly to wriggle clear of a couple of dangling Fenerbahce legs, but he blazes horribly wide when well placed.

The corner comes to nothing, but that's twice already that Fenerbahce have had set pieces in the opening few minutes.

A poor pass back from Michael Ciani is miscontrolled by Marchetti and the Turkish side have a cheap corner.

Antonio Candreva cuts in from the left wing onto his right foot but his shot is tame and straight at Demirel in the Fenerbahce goal.

Fenerbahce corner cleared easily early on. Both teams have settled into a nice passing game.

A sea of empty blue seats everywhere you look. The players and managers cries are very clear so no player will have any excuse for missing instructions tonight.

And we're underway in a near empty Stadio Olimpico.

The Turkish side come into the game with a formidable away record in Europe this season with four wins and one draw so far. However it will require a monumental effort to continue that fine form against a Lazio side who were unbeaten in Europe this season before their first leg defeat. The players are in the tunnel...

Lazio weren’t fazed the last time they played without the Stadio Olimpico faithful in their last-16 match with Stuggart. Two goals in eight minutes from striker Libor Kozak settled the nerves and put the tie beyond doubt before completing his hat trick late on. Lazio supporters will be hoping he can reproduce that form tonight.

Fenerbahce are still in the hunt for domestic honours and sit in second in the Turkish Super Lig, four points behind Galatasary. In exactly a month the two will meet in the penultimate game of the season to battle it out for league glory.

Lazio played out a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Derby della Capitale against fierce rivals Roma on Monday to leave them fifth in Serie A, seven points adrift of the Champions League qualifying positions.

Chelsea await tonight’s victors in the draw for the semi-finals after they progressed at Rubin Kazan’s expense despite losing their second leg 3-2 in Russia. In the other quarter-finals Basel and Tottenham are nicely poised at 2-2 on aggregate, whilst Newcastle United need to score at least twice to have any chance of knocking out Benfica. Both games kick-off at the same time as Lazio vs. Fenerbahce, 20:05.

Fenerbahce are also no strangers to their fans being banned from the stadium. Last year the Turkish FA took the unique step of banning men from their home match with Manisapor. Instead, 41,000 women and children were given free tickets and sang their hearts out as the two sides shared a 1-1 draw in a historic day for football. Their Europa League last-32 match against Bate Borisov was also played by behind closed doors after fans were found guilty of throwing missiles in an earlier group match.