Beşiktaş v Olympiacos background
Friday, March 10, 2017
Article summary
Beşiktaş hit back after going behind to draw 1-1 at Olympiacos, and may feel they should have done even better as they prepare for the second leg of their round of 16 tie.
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Vincent Aboubakar capitalised on a poor clearance to earn Beşiktaş a 1-1 draw at Olympiacos, leaving the Turkish side with a nominal advantage as they stage the last-16 return fixture.
• Suspended
Beşiktaş: Tolgay Arslan
Olympiacos: Bruno Viana
• Misses next game if booked
Beşiktaş: Vincent Aboubakar, Caner Erkin, Marcelo
Olympiacos: Alberto Botía, Diogo Figueiras
Previous meetings
• The teams met for the first time in UEFA competition in the first leg but had actually been drawn together in the preliminary round of the 1958/59 European Champion Clubs' Cup; Olympiacos withdrew due to political problems between Greece and Turkey, with Beşiktaş progressing to the first round (where they lost to Real Madrid).
• The clubs have contested friendly games for the last two summers; Olympiacos won 2-1 in 2015, before Beşiktaş triumphed 1-0 in August 2016.
• Beşiktaş drew both of their previous UEFA matches with Greek sides: 1-1 at home and 2-2 away against Asteras Tripolis in the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League group stage.
• Olympiacos have played six games against Turkish teams in UEFA competition with the record: W2 D2 L2 (W1 L2 in Turkey). In the round of 32 against Osmanlıspor they prevailed 3-0 in Turkey after a goalless home draw.
• This is the second time the reigning champions of Greece and Turkey have met in UEFA competition, following Galatasaray's 1-0 home victory over Olympiacos in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage.
Form guide
• Beşiktaş are unbeaten in seven European home fixtures: two wins and five score draws.
• Olympiacos have lost just one of their last five European away matches (W3 D1 L1).
• The nearest Beşiktaş have come to lifting a major European honour was reaching the last eight of the UEFA Cup in 2002/03 as well as the European Cup quarter-finals in 1986/87.
• Olympiacos are in the round of 16 for the first time since 2011/12, having fallen at their first springtime hurdle in the last four seasons. They have never made it to the last eight in this competition but advanced to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992/93 and the UEFA Champions League in 1998/99.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Piraeus to Istanbul is around 600km.
• Former team-mates:
Marko Marin (Olympiacos) & Dusko Tošić (Beşiktaş) – Werder Bremen, 2009–10
Tarik Elyounoussi (Olympiacos) & Andreas Beck (Beşiktaş) – Hoffenheim, 2013–15
Esteban Cambiasso (Olympiacos) & Ricardo Quaresma (Beşiktaş) – Internazionale Milano, 2008–10.
Aly Cissokho (Olympiacos) & Ricardo Quaresma (Beşiktaş) – Porto, 2015
• Olympiacos's Manuel da Costa (Sivasspor 2013–14), Óscar Cardozo (Trabzonspor 2014–16) and Marin (Trabzonspor 2015–16) all have Turkish league experience.
• Marin and Beck won the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with Germany.
• Beşiktaş and Olympiacos are among four domestic champions in the round of 16 along with APOEL and København.
The coaches
• Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş famously guided Turkey to third place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. A goalkeeper who spent the majority of his playing career with home-town club Trabzonspor, he led Beşiktaş to the 2015/16 Turkish championship in his first term in charge.
• On Monday 6 March, Olympiacos parted company with Paulo Bento after six months at the helm. Youth coach Vasilis Vouzas, 50, has stepped up on an interim basis, with Ariel Ibagaza and Tasos Pantos assisting. The Beşiktaş first leg was his first match.
Penalty shoot-outs
• Beşiktaş won their only previous UEFA penalty shoot-out:
W 5-4 H v Liverpool (2014/15 UEFA Europa League round of 32)
• Olympiacos have never featured in a UEFA penalty shoot-out.