Bursaspor, Trabzon take European stage

BURSA - Hürriyet Daily News

Bursaspor knocked out Finland’s KuPS Kuopio comfortably in the third round of the Europa League. The Crocs will face a formidable challenge against Twente. AA photo

Turkey’s Bursaspor and Trabzonspor will play their first-leg games in the Europa League playoffs tonight. Bursaspor will welcome the Netherlands’ Twente, one of the most important clubs in the competition, while Trabzonspor has a fairly more comfortable tie when it meets Hungary’s Videoton. The Bursaspor vs. Twente game starts at 8:30 p.m. and will be shown live on Star TV, while the Trabzonspor vs. Videoton match, which kicks off at 9 p.m., will be live on Smart Spor.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has taken a gamble by resting Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson for tonight’s Europa League clash against Scottish club Hearts, Agence France-Presse reported.

With a testing fixture against Manchester City looming on Aug. 26, Rodgers has opted not to risk his key men, but his assistant Colin Pascoe insisted The Reds are not showing Hearts a lack of respect. “Every game you put a shirt on for Liverpool FC is very important,” he said. “It’s two legs and we’re going to be positive and try to win up there.”