Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe in Europa League tests

ISTANBUL

Two Turkish clubs launch their Europa League league stage campaigns on Sept. 26, when Beşiktaş travels to Ajax and Fenerbahçe hosts Union SG.

Winning the Champions League as part of the Barcelona squad in 2005, Beşiktaş coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst is now looking to claim a European trophy in charge of a club, with the 49-year-old losing the Europa League final in 2022 as Rangers boss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Van Bronckhorst said his side will be aiming for a win in his own home country.

"I'm happy to be going to my country; I've enjoyed my time in Türkiye, in Istanbul, but it's special to go home,” he said after a 2-1 win over Eyüpspor in the Süper Lig on Sept. 22.

“We will play Dutch teams twice. Ajax is a good team, it is a strong team, especially in home games with the support of its fans. We need to get points to qualify for the next rounds. We will try to win even if we are on the road.”

Commencing its competitive schedule this season with a five-goal thrashing of league champion Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup, Beşiktaş has enjoyed an eight-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, although Sept. 26's trip to Amsterdam is set to pose a serious threat to that impeccable start.

Fenerbahçe on the other hand, will try to ease the wounds of the weekend’s 3-1 derby loss to Galatasaray when it takes on the Swiss side.

Jose Mourinho’s side faced criticism following a a two-legged defeat to Lille in the Champions League qualifying rounds, despite the arrivals of expensive signings, and the derby loss increased the pressure on the Portuguese coach and the squad.

Sofyan Amrabat and Youssef En-Nesyri are expected to be in the starting line-up against Union SG after sitting out the derby match due to Mourinho’s much-criticized squad preferences.

Also on Sept. 26 in the Europa League, Tottenham hosts Azerbaijan club Qarabag, hoping to put disappointing a start to the Premier League season behind it.

Discontent has started to grow among Tottenham fans for the first time since their blistering start to life under Ange Postecoglou 12 months ago.

A 3-1 victory over Brentford at the weekend at least helped the team bounce back from successive Premier League defeats at the hands of Newcastle and local rival Arsenal.

But Spurs will be desperate to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy and will see the new Europa League, which will not feature any teams dropping down from the Champions League like in previous seasons, as a golden opportunity.

"I keep saying to people, 'Show me a success story and I'll show you a struggle.' People forget the struggle and look at the end bit," Postecoglou said last week.