Turkey's Bursaspor, Trabzonspor take the European stage

MINSK

Bursaspor youngster Enes Ünal (L) battles for the ball during a pre-season friendly game. Bursaspor meets Serbia’s FC Vojvodina today, while another Turkish team in the competition, Trabzonspor, visits Dinamo Minsk. DHA photo

Two Turkish teams, Bursaspor and Trabzonspor, will play their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round games tonight.

Bursaspor will play Serbia’s FC Vojvodina and Trabzonspor will play Belarus’s FC Dinamo Minsk. Both Turkish teams will play their first leg games on away soil. The return games will both be held on Aug. 8.

Trabzonspor vice chairman Sebahattin Çakıroğlu seemed confident ahead of the visit, saying the Black Sea outfit “has the strength to match Dinamo Minsk” in the away game. Trabzonspor started the competition in the second qualifying round, after ousting Northern Irish side Derry City 7-2 on aggregate.

Bursaspor coach Karaman cautious

Bursaspor, which finished fourth in the Spor Toto Super League last year, starts this year’s competition in the third qualifying round.

The two clubs made early exits from the Europa League qualifiers at this stage last year. The Crocs were beaten by Dutch side Twente, while Trabzonspor was shocked by Hungary’s Videoton.

Bursaspor coach Hikmet Karaman remained cautious ahead of the tie. “We take them very seriously,” he said. “The slightest of mistake could prove costly for us … We are serious. In the European competitions, you cannot afford to lose your discipline.” “As a club, as a whole city, we want to make a good start,” Karaman added.

The sides that advance will enter the draw for the final play-off round on August 9.