Ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League group levels climax, Thursday will witness two Turkish powerhouses, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, in fierce motion, vying to safe their spot within the Round of 16 of the continental third-tier league.
Sitting atop Group H, Fenerbahçe are poised to make their mark on international soil as they embark on their journey to Bulgaria to face off towards Ludogorets.
Under their head coach, Ismail Kartal, the Yellow Canaries have been nothing wanting dominant within the European enviornment this season.
They have tasted victory in all 9 of their contests and they’re hungry for an additional win, one that will see them advance to the subsequent stage.
With a powerful tally of 9 factors of their group, a draw or a win tomorrow would safe their passage to the knockout rounds.
In their earlier group stage matches, Fenerbahçe showcased their mettle by defeating Denmark’s Nordsjaelland 3-1, triumphing over Spartak Trnava 2-1 on international soil and dispatching Ludogorets 3-1 in entrance of their house crowd.
The query now’s whether or not they can keep this flawless streak.
However, the percentages are usually not fully in Fenerbahçe’s favor.
They can be going through Ludogorets with six key gamers sidelined on account of accidents, together with Rodrigo Becao, Alexander Djiku, Fred Rodrigues, Joshua King, Serdar Aziz and Mert Hakan Yandaş.
These notable absences will undoubtedly check the depth of Fenerbahçe’s squad.
But it isn’t all gloom and doom for the Turkish giants.
Turkish worldwide, Cengiz Ünder is about to return to motion.
After being sidelined on account of an early-game harm towards Antalyaspor within the home league, the 26-year-old made a triumphant comeback in matches towards Hatayspor and Ludogorets.
His presence within the squad for the Ludogorets match is on the discretion of Kartal.
In this difficult state of affairs, a silver lining emerges for 19-year-old Yusuf Akçiçek.
A stalwart in Fenerbahçe’s U-19 crew, he’s now offered with a golden alternative to make his mark within the first crew as a middle again.
With the dearth of obtainable heart again choices on account of accidents and absences, the younger defender could discover himself thrust into the highlight, probably becoming a member of the ranks of Jayden Oosterwolde, Ismail Yüksek and Miguel Crespo in essential positions.
Eagle’s nest
Meanwhile, throughout the footballing panorama, Beşiktaş discover themselves going through their very own uphill battle within the UEFA Europa Conference League’s D Group.
On Thursday, they welcome the Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt to the Tüpraş Stadium in a must-win encounter.
Having misplaced 3-1 within the away fixture in Norway, Beşiktaş are nonetheless seeking their first victory within the group stage.
Beşiktaş’s marketing campaign acquired off to a sluggish begin, with a 1-1 draw towards Club Brugge and a dramatic 3-2 loss to Lugano regardless of being 2-0 forward.
As they enter the fourth week of matches, they discover themselves on the backside of the group with only a single level.
On a brighter word, Vincent Aboubakar, who missed latest video games on account of sickness, is anticipated to make a triumphant return for Beşiktaş.
The Cameroonian striker, a goal-scoring machine, has the potential to put in writing his identify within the membership’s chronicles.
With only one extra aim, he can equal the report of Oktay Derelioğlu as Beşiktaş’s all-time main scorer in European competitions.
Source: www.dailysabah.com