Beşiktaş will be looking to reverse their fortunes as they travel to face a resurgent Lyon at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday night, currently sitting at the bottom of the Europa League standings.
Despite a stellar start to their domestic campaign, the Turkish side has struggled to find their rhythm in Europe, suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat against Ajax and a disappointing home loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.
While Beşiktaş have shined in the Süper Lig – highlighted by an impressive 5-0 Super Cup victory over rivals Galatasaray and an impressive haul of 20 points from 24 available – their European performances have left much to be desired.
Coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst knows that overcoming Lyon, who are riding high on a five-game winning streak, will be a formidable challenge.
The French side has undergone a remarkable turnaround under coach Pierre Sage, recovering from a slow start that left them teetering in the relegation zone.
Lyon have won both their Europa League matches, beginning with a solid victory against Olympiacos and following it up with a stunning 4-1 triumph over Rangers, where striker Alexandre Lacazette scored twice and climbed to fifth on the all-time Europa League scoring list with 24 goals.
Beşiktaş's recent form presents a mixed picture; they boast strong domestic results but have failed in European competition, currently sitting at the foot of the group standings.
However, there's reason for optimism.
Van Bronckhorst led his Rangers side to the Europa League final in the 2021-22 season despite losing their first two games, demonstrating that a slow start can be overcome.
Historically, Beşiktaş has struggled in away matches in this competition, losing four straight on the road and conceding 15 goals during that stretch.
Furthermore, their previous visits to France have yielded disappointing results, with four losses in five attempts.
In terms of personnel, Beşiktaş will be without winger Milot Rashica, who is sidelined due to injury.
However, the return of Rafa Silva, who ended a seven-game scoring drought in their recent 2-0 victory over Konyaspor, provides a glimmer of hope.
Al Musrati has recovered from a thigh injury, while Necip Uysal and Gabriel Paulista remain unavailable.
Goalkeeper Ersin Destanoglu, who made his debut in the loss to Frankfurt, has been out of action since due to injury.
