FC Twentevs.Besiktas

Both teams enter their final League Phase fixture in danger of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds and needing a victory to secure a place in the top 24.

Match preview

After failing to win any of their opening six League Phase matches, drawing four and losing two, FC Twente picked up three valuable points and their first-ever victory in Sweden when they beat Malmo by a 3-2 scoreline last week.

Sem Steijn and Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored from the penalty spot either side of half time, while Gustaf Lagerbielke was also on target to boost Twente's hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout rounds for the first time since 2011-12.

Joseph Oosting's side currently sit 26th in the 36-team table and they will need to beat Thursday's opponents Besiktas - sitting two points above them in 24th place - if they are to secure a last-16 playoff place; a draw or defeat will confirm their elimination, though.

Twente have had a full week to rest and prepare for their encounter with Besiktas as they were not involved in Eredivisie action last weekend. The Tukkers lost three of their previous four domestic matches prior to their win over Malmo, but all three of those defeats were away from home.

Indeed, Twente will welcome a return to De Grolsch Veste where they have won each of their last three games by an aggregate score of 11-4, while they have lost just two of their last 19 fixtures on home soil in all competitions since the end of February last year. Both were in this season's Europa League, though, against Lazio (0-2) and Union SG (0-1).

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as Besiktas boss began with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League last week, a much-needed result that has kept their hopes of securing a last-16 playoff place alive.

Indeed, the Turkish giants have climbed up to 24th in the 36-team table and now occupy the final playoff spot heading into their final League Phase fixture, knowing that a victory over Twente on Thursday will guarantee their place in the knockout rounds of a major European competition for the first time since 2017-18.

Solskjaer was on the verge of claiming back-to-back wins in charge of Besiktas, but his team conceded an 85th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig last weekend, leaving them sixth in the table and eight points behind the top three.

Besiktas head into Thursday's clash with Twente boasting a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions, but they travel to De Grolsch Veste having lost five of their last six away matches in the Netherlands.

FC Twente Europa League form:

D

L

D

L

D

W

FC Twente form (all competitions):

W

L

W

L

L

W

Besiktas Europa League form:

L

W

W

L

L

W

Besiktas form (all competitions):

D

D

W

D

W

D

Team News

Twente forward Sam Lammers is nursing an injury that is set to keep him sidelined until next month, while defender Mees Hilgers and midfielder Younes Taha both remain in the treatment room.

Sem Steijn has arguably been Twente's standout performer this season, scoring a team-high 18 goals as an attacking midfielder and at least 10 more goals than any of his teammates. The 23-year-old is set to continue in a central role behind Van Wolfswinkel up front.

Youri Regeer has re-joined Ajax after they activated a buy-back clause in his Twente deal, so Michal Sadilek is set to continue in centre-midfield alongside Michel Vlap, while a back four of Bart van Rooij, Max Bruns, Lagerbielke and Anass Salah-Eddine should remain intact.

As for Besiktas, they will be without defensive quartet Necip Uysal, Gabriel Paulista, Tayyip Talha Sanuc and Emrecan Terzi due to injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is ineligible as he has not been included in their Europa League squad.

Solskjaer is set to recall Ernest Muci on the left wing at the expense of Oxlade-Chamberlain, while experienced striker Ciro Immobile may be preferred to lead the line ahead of teenager Semih Kilicsoy.

Rafa Silva is expected to continue in the number 10 role; the Portuguese's five goal involvements (two goals, three assists) in the Europa League is the most by a Besiktas player in a single major European campaign since Cenk Tosun (six) in 2017-18.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Bruns, Lagerbielke, Salah-Eddine; Vlap, Sadilek; Rots, Steijn, Van Bergen; Van Wolfswinkel

Besiktas possible starting lineup:

Gunok; Svensson, Topcu, Uduokhai, Masuaku; Al-Musrati, Fernandes; Rashica, Rafa, Muci; Immobile

We say: FC Twente 2-2 Besiktas

Thursday's contest will see the team who has drawn the most matches (Twente - four) come up against a Besiktas side who are one of only four teams that are yet to draw in this season's Europa League.

Indeed, it difficult to predict which way this one will go between two evenly matched teams. Twente must push for a win on home soil, but we are backing Besiktas to claim at least a share of the spoils in the Netherlands.

Written by

Oliver Thomas

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