Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
Besiktas and Club Brugge square off against each other at Tupras Stadium in what is expected to be an interesting Conference League game. Besiktas are eager to put an end to their three-game losing run in Group D and we are positive that they will fight tooth and nail against Club Brugge. Experienced midfielder Necip Uysal serves a one-game ban, while Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly has yet to overcome his injury.
The Belgian outfit, on the other hand, are with one foot in the Conference League last 16. The Blauw-Zwart are eyeing their fourth consecutive group win, but seeing that Besiktas want this triumph more than the visitors, we are tempted to put our money on the Turkish side. Hans Vanaken serves a one-game ban, while the likes of Bursik, Meijer, Nusa, Sabbe, and Talbi are out of contention through injuries for the visiting team.
Highlighted Player (Simon Mignolet):
Simon Luc Hildebert Mignolet is a Belgium goalkeeper born on 6 March 1988 in Sint-Truiden. He began his career in a club from his hometown, making 100 league appearances for Sint-Truidense before moving to Sunderland in 2010.
Mignolet would go on to spent next four years at the Stadium of Light, making 90 Premier League appearances. As one of world’s most talented goalkeepers, the Belgium international signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2013, and he has since been the club’s first choice goalkeeper. Performing admirably most of the time, but also committing cheap mistakes at times, Mignolet has yet to win over the Liverpool fans, but remains highly regarded in his native country.
The talented shot-stopper has been a member of the Belgium national team since 2011, earning over 20 caps for the Red Devils, but he has been playing second fiddle to Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois over the last few years.
Highlighted Team (Besiktas):
Besiktas football club is one of the most successful teams in Turkey. Since its foundation in 1903, Besiktas have never been relegated to a lower rank of Turkish football. Black Eagles as they are known in Turkey play their matches at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul which is an almost 42,000 all-seater capacity venue.
Considered one of the top three football clubs in the country, Besiktas are the 14-time Super Lig champions who are entering the Champions League group stage in the 2016-17 season looking to make their presence known at the European scene. Besiktas have played in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League four times already, and are yet to progress through to the knockout sgateg in the competition that was established in today’s format in 1992.
Their most outstanding European achievements of the Turkish side are the European Cup and UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1987 and 2003, respectively. During their rich history the Black Eagles have also won 9 Turkish Cups and 8 national Super Cup titles.