Besiktas vs. Lugano: UEFA Europa League playoff 1st leg preview

The first leg of the UEFA Europa League playoff will pit Besiktas against Swiss side Lugano. The match will take place on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. CET at the Thun Arena.

Under new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Besiktas has started the season in impressive form. The team secured a 5-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup, followed by league wins against Samsunspor (2-0) and Antalyaspor (4-2), putting them at the top of the Trendyol Super Lig standings. Van Bronckhorst is concentrating on making a significant impact in Europe, striving to progress to the group stages of the UEFA Europa League.

Key players, recent performances in Besiktas vs. Lugano

Besiktas has been prolific in their early matches, scoring 11 goals and conceding only two under Van Bronckhorst’s management. The new signings, including Ciro Immobile and Rafa Silva, have made significant contributions to the team’s attack. Additionally, 18-year-old Turkish wunderkind Semih Kilicsoy has also added to their offensive prowess.

Besiktas’ manager, player comments after Lugano match

Giovanni van Bronckhorst emphasized the team’s focus and preparation, saying, “We are fully concentrated on this crucial game. We have studied Lugano’s performances and know they are a strong team. Our goal is to secure a place in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League. I prefer a decent synthetic pitch over a poor natural grass pitch, and every player can adapt to synthetic surfaces.”

He added, “We expect a fantastic match and aim to return to Istanbul with an advantageous result.”

Kosovan winger Milot Rashica also commented, “It won’t be easy. We faced Lugano last season, but they have undergone significant changes. We have come here to win.”

Lugano’s head coach, Mattia Croci-Torti, praised Ciro Immobile, stating, “We will play our game. Immobile is a proven, dangerous forward.”

Probable starting XI

Besiktas’ expected lineup for the match is:

• Goalkeeper: Mert
• Defenders: Svensson, Paulista, Coley, Masuaku
• Midfielders: Gedson, Al-Musrati
• Wingers: Rashica, Rafa Silva
• Forwards: Semih, Immobile

Morten Krogh, a Danish official, will referee the match. This will be Besiktas’ 243rd European competition match and their 5th encounter with Swiss teams.

Previous encounters

In the UEFA Conference League group stage last season, Besiktas lost 3-2 to Lugano at home but secured a 2-0 away victory in Switzerland. The club and the team were heavily criticized after the defeat, which caused huge reactions from the fans. When asked by journalist Safak Malatya recently, GvB said that last year’s game was behind them and that the same mistakes would not be made in this season’s game.

Lugano was recently eliminated by Fenerbahçe in the Champions League second qualifying round and is now competing in the UEFA Europa League.

Besiktas wants to give more to fans

In the last three seasons, Behas had a fluctuating performance in European competitions.

In the 2021-22 season, the team competed in the UEFA Champions League but finished the group stage at the bottom, failing to advance.

The following season, Besiktas played in the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they ended the group stage in third place and did not progress to the knockout rounds.

In the 2023-24 season, Besiktas made a notable comeback by participating in the UEFA Europa League. They successfully navigated the play-off round by eliminating Dinamo Kyiv, securing a place in the group stage.

This year, Besiktas is determined to achieve success in Europe and make their supporters proud. The team is focused on making a significant impact and improving their performance on the continental stage.