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Unbeaten Beşiktaş looks to continue its prolific UEFA Europa League campaign on Nov. 5 when it travels to face a struggling Celtic squad at Celtic Park.
Entering the match in eighth place with seven points, the Turkish club has been dominant offensively in European play. Under manager Vincenzo Italiano, Beşiktaş has scored nine goals in three league phase matches, highlighted by a 4-1 victory over Marseille and a 3-2 win against Hoffenheim.
Led by forward Dusan Vlahovic, the attack will try to exploit a leaky Celtic defense that has allowed nine goals in three European fixtures. However, Beşiktaş is seeking to improve its inconsistent away form, having won just four of nine road matches across all competitions this season following a recent 2-2 draw with Kasımpaşa in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Despite a solid start to the season under coach Vincenzo Italiano, the recent under-par league results, which left the team six points behind leader Galatasaray, have increased pressure on the club.
“Our character in away games needs to be different,” Italiano said after the Kasımpaşa draw on Oct. 1, lamenting the absences of midfielders Orkun Kökçü and Fabio Miretti.
“We can do better off the ball. I am truly sorry,” he added.
The home side, meanwhile, is desperate to salvage its European campaign. Celtic sits near the bottom of the 36-team standings in 35th place after three consecutive defeats.
Manager Martin O’Neill’s side is also looking to bounce back domestically following a 2-0 Scottish Premiership loss to Falkirk on Oct. 1.
Also on Nov. 5, Trabzonspor will look to build on its strong start to the UEFA Conference League phase when it hosts German side SC Freiburg.
Currently sitting fourth in the 36-team league phase standings, Trabzonspor enters the Matchday 3 fixture with significant momentum under Thomas Reis. Reis recently became the first manager in the club’s history to win his first five matches in charge, though he deflected personal praise ahead of the European clash.
“Of course it is nice, but this success we are talking about is not just mine,” Reis said after a 2-0 win over Gaziantep in the Süper Lig on Oct. 1.
“I see myself as a team player. If there is success here, it belongs to everyone. To have a place in history is of course very nice, but what is even better is being able to continue it,” he added.
The Turkish club will rely on a revamped squad highlighted by star forward Mohamed Salah, who leads the team with 10 goals across all competitions this season. Recent high-profile additions, including Salah, midfielder Fabinho and goalkeeper Andre Onana, have transformed the side into a formidable European contender.
Freiburg arrives in Türkiye aiming to climb the table. The Bundesliga club sits 18th in the Conference League standings and will need a positive result in a hostile away environment to improve its chances of reaching the knockout stages.
