Besiktas vs Liverpool. UEFA Europa League Round of 32.
1-1
Besiktas win 5-4 on penalties
Thursday 26 February 2015 18:02, UK
Avoid defeat and you’ll qualify, that’s the message Brendan Rodgers will be sending out to his Liverpool team as they head to Besiktas with a 1-0 lead in the Europa League round of 32.
Mario Balotelli scored the winning goal from the penalty spot in the corresponding fixture at Anfield but was criticised by his captain Steven Gerrard as team orders meant Jordan Henderson should have taken the kick.
Rodgers’ men backed up that victory with a 2-0 victory over Southampton last Sunday, which continued their run of just one defeat in their last 18 matches in all competitions.
This game starts a hectic period for Liverpool, who take on Manchester City on Super Sunday at 12pm before another crucial Premier League fixture against Burnley next Wednesday as they continue their charge towards the top four.
Liverpool’s visit to the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadium will bring back special memories for all concerned with the club as it’s the setting where they beat AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League final in 2005.
Beskitas, who are playing at the Olympic Stadium while their own ground overlooking the Bosphorus is rebuilt, were knocked off top spot in the Turkish Super Lig at the weekend, suffering a surprising 1-0 defeat against Eskisehirspor while Galatasaray beat Sivasspor 3-2 to leapfrog their title rivals.
Team news
Henderson and Phillipe Coutinho have not travelled to Turkey - Henderson has been ruled out with a minor ankle injury but should be fit to face Manchester City while Coutinho has been rested.
Lazar Markovic serves the second game of his four-match European suspension.
Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic will be without Ersan Gulum and Ramon, who are both suspended, while Tolga Zengin, Ismail Koybasi, Cenk Tosun, Alexander Milosevic and Gokhan Tore are also missing through injury.
Former Premier League striker Demba Ba, who has scored 13 league goals this season, missed the weekend defeat due to a calf injury and he’s also a major doubt.
Opta stats
Liverpool have won their last four matches against Turkish opposition, scoring 12 and conceding just one in those games.
However, the Reds have won just one of their five away games in Turkey, 2-1 against Trabzonspor in the 2010/11 Europa League qualifying.
Besiktas’ last five games against English opposition have produced just five goals (two for, three against).
However, the Turkish side have lost none of their last three on home soil against English sides (W2 D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last two.
Betting
A draw will be enough to take Liverpool through to the next round and Sky Bet offer 9/4 on that result after 90 minutes, though the Reds are 7/5 favourites to win the match.
Besiktas can be backed for a win at 19/10 and they’re 9/1 to win by exactly two goals, which would see them progress. Liverpool are the favourites to advance at 1/6, with the Turkish side available at 7/2. Daniel Sturridge will be keen to add to his tally of three goals this season and can be backed at 9/2 to score first.
A 1-0 victory for Besiktas would take the game to extra-time, and it’s 22/1 for either team to win on penalties, or 50/1 for Liverpool to advance via spot-kicks.
