Besiktas faces Maccabi Tel Aviv in Europa League showdown behind closed doors
Ernest Muci (23) of Besiktas celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League 4th week match between Besiktas and Malmo at Tupras Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye on November 06, 2024. (AA Photo)
Besiktas will take on Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 5th week of the UEFA Europa League, with the match set to be played in the Hungarian city of Debrecen.
Following discussions between UEFA officials, the Turkish Football Federation, and other relevant authorities, the decision was made to hold the game at a neutral venue and behind closed doors due to ongoing concerns.
Recent performance
Besiktas aims to stay in the top-8 by winning their last three UEFA Europa League matches. The Turkish team have won two and lost two of their four games, currently sitting 18th in the standings.
Additionally, Besiktas secured back-to-back wins against Olympique Lyon and Malmo in their recent Europa League outings, accumulating six points. With three matches left, Besiktas is looking to secure a top-eight finish in the competition.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, however, has faced difficulties, losing all four of their group stage matches. They rank 35th among 36 teams in the UEFA Europa League.
Key players and team news
Besiktas will look to their star Italian striker Ciro Immobile, who recently returned from injury and has scored 12 goals in 17 appearances this season.
However, they will miss the services of Albanian international Ernest Muci, who remains sidelined due to injury.
Expected starting lineups
Besiktas:
Mert Gunok, Svensson, Paulista, Uduokhai, Masuaku, Ndour, Gedson Fernandes, Rashica, Rafa Silva, Semih Kilicsoy, Ciro Immobile.
Maccabi Tel Aviv:
Mishpati, Shlomo, Stojic, Lamkin, Jehezkel, Sissokho, Kanichowsky, Patati, Peretz, Madmon, Turgeman.
Turkish football giant Besiktas will face off against Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv for the third time in their history. The two teams previously competed during the 2011-2012 UEFA Europa League group stage, where Besiktas emerged victorious in both encounters.
In the home fixture, Besiktas delivered a dominant performance, securing a 5-1 victory. The away match in Israel was more closely contested, but the Turkish side managed to claim a 3-2 win, completing a clean sweep against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the group stage.
As the teams prepare for their upcoming clash, fans are eagerly anticipating whether Besiktas can maintain their perfect record against the Israeli club.
