Beşiktaş has one foot in last 16, Trabzon faces survival battle at PSV

Beşiktaş, or the Black Eagles, is in pole position ahead of the home match against Portuguese Primera Liga side SC Braga, having won 2-0 at Estadio Municipal de Braga (Braga Municipal Stadium) last Tuesday.

That is not the case, however, with the Black Sea Storm, nickname of Trabzonspor, which was beaten 2-1 at home by Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven in the first leg last Thursday. That loss at Trabzon’s Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium means the Storm’s chances of progressing to the next stage of the second-tier European club cup competition are as flimsy as gossamer.

‘Portuguese gang’

Beşiktaş coach Carlos Carvalhal was born in Braga, began his professional football career at Braga and later coached the team on three different occasions.

Beşiktaş is a constellation of Portuguese stars, earning them the nickname “the Portuguese gang.” Carvalhal started with three “gang” members -- playmaker Ricardo Quaresma, attacking midfielder Manuel Fernandes and winger Simao Sabrosa -- but benched striker Hugo Almeida against Braga last Tuesday.

Almeida was later called upon in the second half to replace Quaresma, meaning four Portuguese players were fielded.

And it is worth noting that Fernandes was the “man of the match.” One good turn deserves another, and Carvalhal will almost certainly rely on his “gang” to complete the unfinished business against Braga on Thursday.

Furthermore, all three Beşiktaş goals in Sunday’s 3-2 home win over Ankara’s Gençlerbirliği in the domestic Super League were scored by Portuguese players -- Quaresma, Almeida and Fernandes. Carvalhal and all Beşiktaş followers expect more goals from the “gang” at İnönü on Thursday.

German-born 22-year-old left back Tanju Kayhan was stretchered off the pitch on Sunday and therefore will very likely be watching Thursday’s match from the stands.

“We shouldn’t forget that there are still 90 minutes to play. We are taking the second leg very seriously because Braga is a very strong team,” Braga man Carvalhal said after last Thursday’s commanding win over his home team.

The remaining 90 minutes (second half) of that encounter will be determined in İstanbul on Thursday.

Too little hope for the Storm

Şenol Güneş’s Trabzonspor shouldn’t have lost to PSV at home last Thursday. But after going down 2-1, it is only therefore wishful thinking to assume the Storm will overcome the first leg deficit at the Philips Stadion in the center of Eindhoven.

Surprises, upsets, shocks -- you name it -- are rife in football. But it is just unthinkable that the Storm can beat PSV at home, let alone eliminate the “flying” Dutchmen from the Europa League. In the meantime, PSV suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the hands of FC Groningen in the Dutch league last Sunday. However, Trabzon’s best bet is a draw, and that won’t be enough to see Güneş and his men through to the round of 16.

Trabzonspor’s goal-machine Burak Yılmaz is scoring with gay abandon in the domestic league. The faithful fans want him to score away against PSV.

UEFA Europa League first leg results

Rubin Kazan (Russia) 0, Olympiakos (Greece) 1; Braga (Portugal) 0, Besiktas (Turkey) 2.Locomotiv Moscow (Russia) 2, Athletic Bilbao (Spain) 1; AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) 1, Anderlecht (Belgium) 0; Ajax (Netherlands) 0, Manchester United (England) 2; Lazio (Italy) 1, Atletico Madrid (Spain) 3; Legia Warsaw (Poland) 2, Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) 2; Salzburg (Austria) 0, Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) 4; Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) 1, Schalke (Germany) 1; Hannover (Germany) 2, FC Brugge (Belgium) 1; FC Porto (Portugal) 1, Manchester City (England) 2; Steaua Bucharest (Romania) 0, FC Twente (Netherlands) 1; Stoke (England) 0, Valencia (Spain) 1; Trabzonspor (Turkey) 1, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) 2; Udinese (Italy) 0, PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece) 0; Wisla Krakow (Poland) 1, Standard Liege (Belgium) 1.

Live on Star TV

22:05 Beşiktaş vs. Braga

Live on D-Smart

20:00 PSV vs. Trabzonspor