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No room for error as champ Beşiktaş faces Antalyaspor away
To make a fresh start, the Eagles need victory at all costs when they take on the Antalyaspor Scorpions away in their week 19 Turkcell Super League clash at Antalya’s Atatürk Stadium this evening.
But that is a tall order indeed judging from the Eagles’ record so far. They have been knocked out of all European competitions, the Ziraat Turkish Cup that they won last season and have managed only one win from their last eight matches in all competitions.
That their only recent victory was against super minnow Konya Şekerspor, which they beat 4-2 in their last group match in the Turkish Cup on Tuesday, has turned the Eagles into a laughing stock. The doomsayers in the sports media love it and are having a field day.
Furthermore, the Eagles seem to have surrendered to gravity in the league and currently trail leader Fenerbahçe by eight points, though they have a game in hand after their match last Saturday was called off due to inclement weather conditions.
The walking wounded
The Black Eagles are hoping their walking wounded recover before the crucial league encounter in Antalya this evening. The Eagles, under embattled coach Mustafa Denizli, started training on Wednesday. But injured veteran midfielder Yusuf Şimşek, second-choice keeper Hakan Arıkan, defender Matteo Ferrari and striker Mert Nobre, who picked up a knock during Tuesday’s match, were conspicuously absent from the training sessions. These players are equally doubtful today.
Lethargic strikers Nihat Kahveci and Nobre ended their goal drought in “spectacular style” by scoring two goals apiece against Konya Şekerspor on Tuesday. But scoring against this Konya lightweight is not something to write home about because every Tom, Dick or Harry can do that. Let them score against Antalya today and we will be convinced they have finally started to turn the corner.
For a change, “Mr. Excuses” Denizli did not make one this week, but rather exhorted his players ahead of today’s toughie.
“We are focusing all our attention on the league now [having been eliminated from all other competitions],” Denizli said. “We know the task ahead of us is enormous and we also know there is no room for error. It is therefore incumbent upon us to pull ourselves together and do what is expected of us,” he added.
The Beşiktaş Eagles came from behind to clinch the league championship last season. Maybe, that was what Denizli was alluding to.
No boasting
For his part Antalyaspor coach “Şifo” Mehmet, himself a legendary Beşiktaş captain-midfielder, stated categorically that they were not afraid of the Black Eagles.
“It is not our policy to underestimate or fear any team,” the Antalyaspor coach said. “Therefore we treat Beşiktaş with respect and take them very seriously. But we are in dire need of maximum points and will be aiming for that,” he further noted, as he plotted the downfall of the team that brought him to fame.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m., and the referee will be Özgüç Türkalp.
LİG TV / 20:00 Antalyaspor vs. Beşiktaş
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