Beşiktaş out to finish job in second leg against Olympiacos

ISTANBUL

Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş remains cautious ahead of the Europa League second leg of round of 16 tie with Olympiacos, despite a promising draw in the first game in Greece. 

“Of course we will start the game in a solid manner, not taking many risks,” Doğan News Agency quoted Güneş as telling his squad ahead of the March 16 game. 

“But this doesn’t mean that we will remain in a defensive shape all game just to defend the 1-1 advantage. We should certainly score and hold the lead in the game. To achieve this, it will be enough to play our own game.” 

Beşiktaş’s Vincent Aboubakar capitalized on a poor clearance to earn Beşiktaş a 1-1 draw at Olympiacos in the first leg, netting a crucial away goal. 

Olympiacos on March 12 achieved its first league win under its new coach Vasilis Vouzas, the former under-20 who took over on an interim basis before the first leg game.

Beşiktaş was held to a draw at home to Kayserispor, while losing two of its regular defenders - Marcelo Guedes and Dusko Tosic - to injuries.

“Is it possible for a team to be happy after losing two players and two points at home?” Güneş said after the Kayserispor match. 

Tosic has already returned to training but Beşiktaş will also be missing midfielder Tolgay Arslan, who is suspended. 

For Olympiacos, meanwhile, Bruno Viana is suspended. 

In the round of 32 tie, Olympiacos drew with Turkey’s Osmanlıspor at home but managed a 3-0 victory in Ankara in the second leg. 

Güneş wants to avoid a similar bad dream, with several chances lost in the second half of the first leg game in his mind. 

Also on March 16, an all-Belgian tie between Genk and Gent will take place in Genk, with the hosts holding a 5-2 advantage from the first leg. 

Mönchengladbach will also host countrymen Schalke after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Gladbach has won all seven European home games against German clubs.

Roma and Lyon will meet in Italy with Lyon leading 4-2.

Russia’s Rostov make its first trip to England to take on Manchester United, following a 1-1 draw. United have won all four home games in this season’s competition, scoring 12 goals.

Another Russian team, Krasnodar, will welcome Spain’s Celta trailing 2-1 as they bid to reach first quarter-final. Beauvue had scored a 90th-minute first-leg winner for Celta. 

Ajax will meet Copenhagen to decide a quarter-final place. The Dutch side had won the first leg 2-1 in Copenhagen.

Anderlecht will take on APOEL, looking to claim a quarter-final place, with Anderlecht’s Stanciu scoring the only goal of first game in Greek Cyprus. 

Given the tight scores in all first legs, all teams will be struggling to enter the quarter final draw in Switzerland’s Nyon on March 17.