Troubled Beşiktaş hosts Galatasaray

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Midfielder Ricardo Quaresma might soon part his ways with Beşiktaş, which suffers financial troubles. AA photo

Beşiktaş hosts defending Spor Toto Super League champion Galatasaray on Aug. 26 as a saga surrounding the club’s foreign players continues to haunt the administration.

Going through the worst financial crisis in its history, Beşiktaş has downsized the football team. Simao Sabrosa, Fabian Ernst and Egemen Korkmaz left the club after not agreeing to a pay cut, while the club is still willing to listen to offers for Ricardo Quaresma.

The club reportedly asked Quaresma for a cut in his annual wage of 3.7 million euros, which the Portuguese player rejected. Without any official offers for the player, Quaresma has been left out of the squad. The crisis in the club deepened midweek when Hugo Almeida and Manuel Fernandes reportedly told the club they wanted to leave.

Beşiktaş was held to a draw in its first week game by Istanbul BB and with supporters already furious at the club board and coach Samet Aybaba, the team desperately needs a victory against Galatasaray.
Also on Aug. 26, Bursaspor hosts Istanbul BB buoyed by a three-goal victory in the Europa League on Aug. 23. Pablo Batalla, who scored two goals and added an assist, led Bursaspor against Twente in the third qualification round.

“We’re just enjoying our first-leg win and concentrating on Sunday’s match against Istanbul BB,” Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Sağlam said after the game. “There’s plenty of time to think about the second leg against Twente.”

In Aug. 26’s other game, Trabzonspor takes on Elazığspor. The Black Sea side failed to score against Hungarian Videoton in the Europa League on Aug. 23, and settled for a goalless draw. It will need a victory to please its supporters.

In Aug. 25’s games, league leader Gençlerbirliği travels to Akhisar, Fenerbahçe hosts Gaziantepspor, Eskişehirspor visits Orduspor and Sivasspor takes on Mersin İdman Yurdu at home.
Antalyaspor will play Kayserispor in Aug. 27’s only game.