Crystal Palace continue their Europa League campaign in Istanbul on Thursday, when they face Beşiktaş at 20:00 BST (22:00 local time). The fixture will be the Eagles’ third in the competition’s main phase, following a 4-0 victory over Lech Poznań and a narrow 3-2 loss away to Lyon.
Their Turkish hosts have made a perfect start in Europe, defeating Marseille 4-1 before claiming a dramatic 3-2 win at Hoffenheim. Seven goals from those matches place Beşiktaş among the competition’s leading scorers and leave them fourth in the league-phase standings.
Palace will also be up against a side with an imposing recent home record in continental competition. Beşiktaş have won their last four European matches at Beşiktaş Park, meaning a victory over Palace would give them five successive home wins in UEFA competition. The Turkish club’s momentum was checked last weekend, however, when they lost 2-0 at Trabzonspor in the Süper Lig.
The Eagles will need to monitor two forwards in particular. Dušan Vlahović has scored six times in his first six league appearances since joining Beşiktaş, including a hat-trick against Çorum FK, although he missed the victory at Hoffenheim through illness. South Korea international Oh Hyeon-gyu took advantage of that absence by scoring both of Beşiktaş’s late goals in Germany.
Palace can expect a demanding atmosphere at the 42,684-capacity stadium, which has been the club’s home since 2016. Located in Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe district near the Bosphorus, the ground is known for the fervent support of Beşiktaş’s supporters, with the Çarşı group a prominent part of the club’s identity.
Founded in 1903, Beşiktaş are one of Turkey’s most decorated clubs and have enjoyed notable European runs, including a Champions League last-16 appearance in 2017/18 after topping their group unbeaten. Palace will now look to spoil the Black Eagles’ strong start and return from Istanbul with another positive result in their European campaign.
