Besiktas vs Maccabi Tel Aviv prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-11-27 17:45.
[p]This clash between Beşiktaş and Maccabi Tel-Aviv will be staged at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary after the Turkish side refused to host their visitors amid rising European hostility aimed towards Israel. Beşiktaş need to try and park those distractions as this is a big contest in their UEFA Europa League (UEL) campaign after they overcame a poor start to win each of their past two matches in the competition.[/p]
[p]Their buffer to those outside the play-off places is just two points, while the gap between them and the last 16 spots is three, highlighting the pivotal nature of this game. But considering their poor form, Beşiktaş might welcome the behind-closed-doors element of this clash after slumping to a 4-2 home defeat to Göztepe on Sunday – a loss that extended their competitive record to just one win in five (D1, L3). [/p]
[p]The ongoing noise around Maccabi Tel-Aviv wouldn’t have helped their on-the-pitch endeavours this season, so it’s perhaps no great surprise that they are one of just two sides in the competition proper who are yet to win a single point so far. Their most recent UEL outing ended in a heavy 5-0 defeat against Ajax, meaning they have now shipped 11 goals in the competition; more than any other team. [/p]
[p]The Israeli side have had an extended break ahead of this one, having not played since a 4-0 win against Bnei Sakhnin over two weeks ago. And while they traditionally struggle against Turkish outfits, going winless across their first six matches against such teams (D2, L4), they did win each of the last two meetings with one as they beat Sivasspor home and away in this competition back in 2020. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Semih Kılıçsoy looks to be finding form for Beşiktaş with his two goals so far this season coming across his past three competitive matches, including one against Malmö in the last round. Summer arrival Weslley Patati grabbed his first Maccabi goal in their last outing against Bnei Sakhnin, but here he’s bidding to avoid picking up a yellow card for a third successive UEL match. [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Beşiktaş are unbeaten in all six of their matches against Israeli opposition (W4, D2), including two wins against Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2011. [/p]
[p][i]Written by David H[/i][/p]