Beşiktaş will begin its 2025-26 European campaign at home Thursday night against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.
Kickoff at Tüpraş Stadium is set for 9 p.m. local time. The match will be officiated by Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov.
The Istanbul club, led by head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, aims to secure an advantage ahead of the return leg, which will be played on July 31 at Reymana Stadium in Krakow, Poland.
The clash will also mark Beşiktaş’s first official match of the new season. The Black Eagles are eager to get off to a strong start in front of their home supporters, who last saw their team in action 59 days ago during the penultimate round of the 2024-25 Turkish Süper Lig season against Çaykur Rizespor.
In preparation for the new season, Beşiktaş held a training camp in Austria, playing four friendly matches. The team defeated St. Pölten 2-0, drew 1-1 with Admira Wacker, and suffered back-to-back losses to Wolfsberger (3-2) and Slovakian side Petrzalka 1898 (2-1). Across the four matches, Beşiktaş scored six goals and conceded six.
Beşiktaş submitted its Europa League squad list to UEFA ahead of the tie, with four players excluded from the roster: Emrecan Uzunhan, Bahtiyar Zaynutdinov, Jean Onana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Shakhtar Donetsk is managed by former Turkish international Arda Turan, who took over the Ukrainian club this summer. The 38-year-old previously coached Eyüpspor in Türkiye, guiding the team to a sixth-place finish in the second division last season.
Under Turan, Shakhtar advanced to the second qualifying round by eliminating Finnish club Ilves. The Ukrainian side cruised to a 6-0 home victory in the first leg and held on for a goalless draw in Finland. In his first two competitive matches with Shakhtar, Turan’s side has yet to concede a goal.
The club also impressed during preseason, scoring eight goals and allowing just one across four friendlies.
Three of Beşiktaş’s summer signings could make their official debuts Wednesday, pending selection by Solskjaer. Midfielders David Jurasek and Orkun Kökçü, both on loan from Benfica and striker Tammy Abraham, acquired on loan from Roma, are expected to feature.
