Italiano’s first real test: Countdown begins at Beşiktaş for Midtjylland clash
Beşiktaş step onto the European stage for the first time this season as they host Danish side Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round first leg, with new head coach Vincenzo Italiano facing his debut official match at the helm.
The showdown will be played at Tüpraş Stadium tomorrow at 21:00 local time. Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos has been appointed to officiate the encounter. He will be assisted on the touchlines by Iker De Francisco and Asier Perez De Mendiola.
For Beşiktaş, this fixture is not just the first competitive game of the 2026-27 campaign; it is also an opportunity to send out an early statement in front of their supporters. The black-and-whites aim to secure a strong first-leg result in Istanbul and carry a clear advantage into the return match in Denmark.
If Beşiktaş manage to eliminate Midtjylland over the two legs, they will advance to the third qualifying round, where they will face the winner of the tie between Tromsø of Norway and Hradec Králové of the Czech Republic. The pathway to the group stage is long, but a convincing performance in this first tie would significantly ease the pressure for the upcoming rounds.
Italiano’s official debut in the Beşiktaş dugout
The meeting with Midtjylland will mark Vincenzo Italiano’s first official game as Beşiktaş head coach. The Italian manager, who signed a two-year contract in June, is set to experience his first competitive night in front of the club’s home crowd, a key emotional moment both for him and the fans.
Until now, Italiano has only had pre-season friendlies to experiment with systems, rotations and player roles. The Midtjylland clash will be the first time his tactical ideas are tested under genuine pressure and with real consequences. How quickly the team can adapt to his philosophy may heavily influence not only this tie, but the entire season.
Absentees and squad situation
Beşiktaş go into the game with three significant absences. Newly signed winger Leandro Trossard, who has been granted additional leave, is not included in the squad submitted to UEFA for this round and will therefore not feature against Midtjylland.
Defensive options are also affected. Centre-back Felix Uduokhai is unavailable due to a suspension carried over from last season’s European competitions after a red card. In midfield, Wilfred Ndidi is sidelined with a diagnosed ligament injury in his ankle, ruling him out of selection for this encounter.
These absences may force Italiano to improvise, especially in the defensive and holding midfield zones, where stability and discipline are crucial in European knockout ties. The Italian coach will likely need to rely on depth pieces and new signings to compensate for the missing names.
Mixed signals from pre-season: 6 matches, 2 wins
Beşiktaş completed their main pre-season camp in Slovakia, playing six friendly matches with mixed results. The team began with a 2-1 victory over Hungarian side Gyirmót, showing early signs of attacking sharpness. However, they were then held to a goalless draw by another Hungarian club, MTE 1904 KFT, raising initial questions about consistency in the final third.
In a short-format tournament, where games were played over two halves of 35 minutes, the black-and-whites beat Austrian outfit SV Mattersburg 1-0, but then fell 2-0 to Polish club Widzew Łódź. The final days of the camp did not fully dispel doubts: Beşiktaş drew 1-1 with Slovak side Dinamo Malženice and suffered a 3-2 defeat against Spartak Trnava, also from Slovakia.
Across these six warm-up matches, Beşiktaş scored six goals and conceded seven. While pre-season scorelines are rarely definitive indicators of competitive performance, the numbers suggest that both the attack and the defence are still a work in progress under Italiano. Turning sporadic flashes into a stable, 90-minute performance will be one of the main challenges in the Midtjylland tie.
UEFA squad list: new faces registered, Trossard missing
Ahead of the duels with Midtjylland, Beşiktaş submitted their player list to UEFA. Among the notable details is the absence of new signing Leandro Trossard, who is not registered for this qualifying round. In contrast, several other recent arrivals have been included and are eligible to feature.
Beşiktaş’s UEFA list consists of the following names:
Alexander Nübel, Doğan Alemdar, Emre Bilgin, Kassoum Ouattara, Emmanuel Agbadou, Felix Uduokhai, Taylan Bulut, Rıdvan Yılmaz, Tiago Djalo, Emirhan Topçu, Yasin Özcan, Amir Murillo, Wilfred Ndidi, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Salih Özcan, Milot Rashica, Kartal Kayra Yılmaz, Orkun Kökçü, Junior Olaitan, Vaclav Cerny, İlhan Fakılı, Hyeon-Gyu Oh, Mustafa Erhan Hekimoğlu, Semih Kılıçsoy.
This list underlines a blend of youth and experience spanning several positions. With Ndidi and Uduokhai unavailable for the first leg, the burden will fall more heavily on the likes of Hadziahmetovic, Salih Özcan and the defensive unit led by Tiago Djalo and Rıdvan Yılmaz.
Return to “Dolmabahçe”: back home after 75 days
Another emotional layer to this match is Beşiktaş’s homecoming. The team will play in front of their supporters at Tüpraş Stadium for the first time in approximately two and a half months. Their last home appearance came on 9 May, in the 33rd week of the previous Süper Lig season, against Trabzonspor.
After a 75-day wait, the black-and-white faithful will once again occupy the stands, eager to see a refreshed team and a new footballing identity under Italiano. For the players, returning to their own ground after 2 months and 14 days offers a psychological lift, and they are determined to convert that energy into a first-leg advantage before travelling for the return fixture.
New signings awaiting their first big night
Five new arrivals could make their official Beşiktaş debuts against Midtjylland, depending on Italiano’s selection. Goalkeepers Alexander Nübel and Doğan Alemdar, left-back Kassoum Ouattara, midfielder Salih Özcan and winger İlhan Fakılı are all eligible and ready to embrace their first competitive minutes in front of the home crowd.
For Nübel and Alemdar, this fixture may define the early hierarchy in goal, while Ouattara will be keen to show that he can bring both defensive solidity and attacking width down the flank. Salih Özcan, operating in central midfield, is expected to provide balance, ball circulation and pressing intensity, whereas Fakılı’s role on the left side promises dribbling, creativity and directness.
Tactical expectations from Italiano’s Beşiktaş
Italiano’s previous teams have typically been associated with high-tempo, possession-based football built on fluid passing patterns, aggressive pressing and quick transitions. While implementing such a philosophy fully may take time, early tactical clues have already been visible in pre-season: building from the back, full-backs pushing high, and midfielders taking responsibility in the first phase of play.
Against Midtjylland, Beşiktaş are likely to seek dominance through ball control, especially at home. The absence of Ndidi may influence the structure of the midfield, possibly pushing someone like Hadziahmetovic into a deeper, screening role, with Salih Özcan and another midfielder contributing to pressing and forward runs. On the flanks, options such as Rashica, Cerny, Olaitan or Fakılı could stretch the Danish defence and create one-on-one situations.
The key will be balance. Over-committing numbers forward could open spaces for Midtjylland’s counter-attacks, particularly if the Danish side sit deep and look to exploit transitions. Therefore, the positioning of the centre-backs and the defensive midfielder will be critical for controlling second balls and cutting out long passes behind the line.
Psychological dimension: pressure, expectation and opportunity
For Italiano, this first official match carries more than just tactical implications. A convincing performance would immediately strengthen his bond with the supporters and the dressing room, proving that the ideas developed in training can work under competitive pressure. Early setbacks, on the other hand, might invite scrutiny and increase the noise around the team.
For the players, the tie represents a chance to redefine last season’s narrative. A strong run in Europe can energise the fanbase, raise the club’s coefficient and attract further quality signings. Youngsters such as Semih Kılıçsoy, Yasin Özcan or Mustafa Erhan Hekimoğlu may find this European stage a platform to showcase their talent to a wider audience.
Midtjylland, accustomed to regular European appearances, will not be an easy opponent. Their physical style, set-piece threat and tactical discipline have caused problems for many teams in continental competitions. Beşiktaş must therefore combine technical quality with concentration and mental resilience across both legs.
What Beşiktaş need from the first leg
From a strategic perspective, the objective at Tüpraş Stadium is clear: win, avoid conceding cheap goals and, if possible, build a cushion for the second leg. A narrow victory with a clean sheet would be ideal, but even a high-scoring win could be acceptable, as long as Beşiktaş demonstrate control and superiority.
Scoring early could be crucial in shaping the flow of the match. An early goal would force Midtjylland to open up, granting more space for Beşiktaş’s attackers. Conversely, a frustrating, goalless first half would increase tension and could fuel the visitors’ belief. Game management, substitutions and in-game adjustments from Italiano will therefore carry significant weight.
Looking beyond the tie: building a new identity
Regardless of the immediate result, this Midtjylland encounter will be remembered as the starting point of the Italiano era. It is the first real indicator of how quickly Beşiktaş can adapt to a new style, integrate fresh signings and address last season’s shortcomings. The club aims not only to progress to the group stage of the Europa League but also to build a recognisable, modern football identity that can compete domestically and internationally.
In this context, every minute on the pitch becomes valuable-both as a result-driven contest and as a step in a wider project. For the fans filling Tüpraş Stadium after a long break, the expectation is simple: to see a team that fights, presses, creates chances and leaves the pitch having taken a meaningful step toward the next round.
As the countdown continues in Beşiktaş, all eyes turn to Italiano and his players. Their first official exam is about to begin, and the result could set the tone for the season ahead.