Beşiktaş vs Eyüpspor – News and Probable Lineups

On Sunday, Besiktas will face Eyupspor at Tupras Stadium as they kick off the 2026-27 Turkish Super Lig season, with Vincenzo Italiano gearing up for his first competitive league fixture since succeeding Sergen Yalcin in the off-season.

The Black Eagles are entering the new season on a high note, having recorded a flawless start in their Europa League qualification matches, while Eyupspor aims to move past a challenging year and embark on a fresh chapter under Ozhan Pulat.

Match overview

In the last Super Lig season, Besiktas finished in fourth place, with Yalcin’s resurgence in the latter part of the season propelling the team into European qualification before he departed amicably in May.

Italiano has swiftly made an impression since his appointment, leading the Black Eagles to a 3-0 aggregate win over Midtjylland, followed by a 2-0 aggregate triumph against Hradec Kralove in the Europa League qualifiers.

During this period, Orkun Kokcu has emerged as a key player, forming an increasingly productive midfield duo with Wilfred Ndidi, while Alexander Nubel has also quickly adapted to his role in Istanbul, adding to the team’s stability in goal.

In the summer transfer window, Besiktas has significantly bolstered their squad with the additions of Leandro Trossard, Kassoum Ouattara, Elan Ricardo, Ilhan Fakili, and Dusan Vlahovic.

These new signings provide Italiano with enhanced attacking options and squad depth as he seeks to narrow the gap to the Turkish title challengers.

With the Super Lig season beginning this weekend, Besiktas’ competitive edge may play to their advantage, having already competed in four European matches without loss. Their home game at Tupras Stadium on Sunday offers an opportunity to carry that winning form into domestic play.

Meanwhile, Eyupspor is striving to recover from a tumultuous season where they cycled through three different head coaches following Arda Turan’s switch to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Short stints under Selcuk Sahin and Orhan Ak preceded Pulat’s summer appointment, as the new head coach is tasked with stabilizing a squad that suffered from defensively inconsistencies in the latter part of the last season.

Pulat has already initiated a considerable rebuild, welcoming players like Abdelhamid Sabiri from Fiorentina, along with Mete Demir and Ahmed Abdullahi, among others. The club is focused on acquiring individuals who can align with the coach’s tactical preferences and restore stability to the team.

Eyupspor did commence their pre-season with a 1-0 win over Mardin 1969, but that result hardly masks the formidable challenge they will face in Istanbul. They ended last season struggling to maintain clean sheets in 12 consecutive games across all competitions and have lost several key players over the summer.

Their lack of competitive experience could prove detrimental against a Besiktas side that is already in form, making this one of the most challenging opening matches for Pulat.

Team News

Besiktas will evaluate the fitness of Tiago Djalo following an injury suffered during the second leg against Hradec Kralove, but aside from that, Italiano boasts a strong squad.

Nubel is likely to keep his position in goal, while Emmanuel Agbadou may step in for Djalo in central defence should the Portuguese player not recover in time.

Hyeon-Gyu Oh is anticipated to lead the attack, with Kokcu and Ndidi set to continue their midfield pairing after their impressive displays in the European matches.

Eyupspor will be missing Jawad El Yamiq, who is still on the road to recovery from his injury.

Pulat is likely to integrate several of his new players into the match rather than immediately placing them in the starting XI for this challenging opener.

The exits of goalkeeper Berke Ozer, Marcos Felipe, and Umut Meras leave the visitors with significant gaps to fill, compounding the rebuilding task for the new head coach.

Besiktas probable starting XI:

Nobel; Murillo, Agbadou, Topcu, Ouattara; Ozcan; Cerny, Olaitan, Cock, Fakill; Oh

Eyupspor probable starting XI:

Moldavian; Calegari, Jules, Satley; Ulvan; Taskin, Yao; Boutobba, Costa, Michalak; Abdullahi

Besiktas’ European momentum, superior squad depth, and home advantage position them strongly against an Eyupspor team that is still adjusting to a new managerial setup and a significantly altered squad.

Italiano’s side has conceded merely two goals over their four Europa League qualifying matches, while Eyupspor faced defensive troubles toward the end of the previous season.

It is expected that Besiktas will control the match from the onset and make an impactful statement during the opening weekend, with either Orkun Kokcu or one of the new attacking signings likely to score as the hosts commence the new Super Lig season with a decisive win.