Sports
Beşiktaş battle struggling Hoffenheim in Europa League matchup
Beşiktaş will look to extend their winning run in the UEFA Europa League when they visit Hoffenheim on Thursday, with the Turkish side aiming to capitalize on the German club’s difficult start to the season.
The matchday two league-phase encounter will take place at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, also known as SNP Arena.
Under coach Vincenzo Italiano, Beşiktaş have made an encouraging start to their European campaign and will seek another victory against a Hoffenheim side struggling for consistency in both domestic and continental competition.
Hoffenheim, coached by Christian Ilzer, enjoyed a strong 2025-26 campaign but fell short of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League through the Bundesliga. Their current season has been far less convincing, with four defeats in five league matches.
Their latest setback came Saturday, when they lost 3-2 to Hamburger SV after surrendering a second-half lead. Hoffenheim went ahead 2-1 early in the second half but conceded twice late on after Bernardo was sent off.
Their European campaign also began with disappointment, as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to OFI Crete despite creating chances worth 1.74 expected goals. Hoffenheim will hope to respond on home soil, where their only victory of the season so far came in a 2-1 win over Stuttgart on Sept. 12.
Beşiktaş, meanwhile, opened their Europa League campaign with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Marseille. İlhan Fakılı, Michael Murillo, Ernest Poku and Vaclav Cerny scored in a result that underlined the Turkish side’s attacking potential.
The Black Eagles have also won five of their six matches preceding Thursday’s fixture, although their away form remains a concern. They have lost three of their last four away games and kept only one clean sheet across all competitions since mid-August.
Cerny ruled out
Beşiktaş will be without Cerny, who sustained a thigh injury during Sunday’s 2-1 Super Lig victory over Kocaelispor.
An MRI scan revealed a strain and swelling in the hamstring area of the Czech winger’s left thigh, ruling him out of the trip to Germany.
His absence could open the door for İlhan Fakılı and Leandro Trossard to operate on the wings, with Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic leading the attack.
Hoffenheim also have an injury concern, with versatile forward Patrick Wimmer recovering from a hamstring problem. Bambase Conte, Adam Hlozek and Adam Daghim are expected to compete for attacking roles behind striker Tim Lemperle.
At the back, Turkish international Ozan Kabak is expected to feature in central defense alongside Koki Machida, with Vladimir Coufal and Mats Rots potentially filling the fullback positions.
Kökçü and Vlahovic lead Beşiktaş attack
Beşiktaş will rely heavily on captain Orkun Kökçü and Vlahovic, both of whom have been productive in front of goal this season.
Kökçü has scored five goals in 13 appearances, while Vlahovic has found the net six times in eight matches. Their form gives Italiano two important attacking options as Beşiktaş seek to maintain their momentum in Europe.
Salih Özcan is expected to anchor the midfield, with Kökçü and Junior Olaitan operating further forward. Fakılı and Trossard could provide width in support of Vlahovic.
Hoffenheim’s defensive organization will be tested by Beşiktaş’ attacking movement, although the visitors must also guard against a response from the hosts, who will be eager to recover from their disappointing European opener.
Six out of seven
Beşiktaş’ recent European record offers further encouragement ahead of the trip to Germany.
The Turkish club have won six of their seven European matches this season, defeating Midtjylland 1-0 and 2-0 before recording two 1-0 victories over Hradec Kralove.
They also beat Kauno Zalgiris 3-0 before losing the return leg 1-0, then opened the Europa League league phase with their 4-1 triumph over Marseille.
Across those seven matches, Beşiktaş have scored 12 goals and conceded twice, demonstrating their effectiveness at both ends of the pitch in European competition.
Hoffenheim, however, will offer a different test, particularly with the German side playing at home and looking to revive their campaign.
The match will also feature a familiar face for Turkish football fans in Kabak, the Hoffenheim defender who has made seven appearances this season and scored once.
Eight Turkish Süper Lig clubs, Kocaelispor coach Selçuk İnan, Trabzonspor midfielder Melih Kabasakal and Eyüpspor forward Ahmed Abdullahi have been referred to the Turkish Football Federation’s (TFF) Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) following incidents during league matches.
The TFF announced the referrals on its official website, citing alleged improper chants, crowd disturbances, a breach of stadium safety regulations and conduct by individuals during or after matches played between Oct. 9 and 12.
Galatasaray and Kasımpaşa were both referred over alleged improper chants during their match on Oct. 9. Galatasaray also faces disciplinary proceedings over crowd disturbances.
Gençlerbirliği was referred for alleged improper chants during its Oct. 10 match against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, while Amed was referred over crowd disturbances during the same game.
Samsunspor and Trabzonspor were both referred for alleged improper chants following their Oct. 10 encounter. Trabzonspor also faces disciplinary proceedings over crowd disturbances, while midfielder Melih Kabasakal was referred separately for an alleged rule violation during the match. His referral took effect on Oct. 11 under precautionary measures.
Beşiktaş and Kocaelispor were both referred following their Oct. 11 match. Beşiktaş faces charges relating to alleged improper chants and crowd disturbances, while Kocaelispor faces additional scrutiny over spectator access routes that were not kept clear, in violation of the federation’s stadium regulations.
Kocaelispor coach Selçuk İnan was also referred to the disciplinary board without precautionary measures over comments he made during a postmatch flash interview and news conference. The TFF cited statements allegedly damaging the reputation of Turkish football.
Eyüpspor forward Ahmed Abdullahi was referred under precautionary measures for an alleged rule violation during the club’s Oct. 12 match against Göztepe, with his referral taking effect on Oct. 13.
The referrals will be assessed by the PFDK, which determines disciplinary sanctions under the federation’s regulations. The referrals themselves do not constitute final rulings.
Trabzonspor will look to carry their domestic momentum into Europe when they visit Finnish side KuPS Kuopio on Thursday for their opening match in the 2026-27 UEFA Conference League league phase.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Türkiye time at Tammelan Stadion in Tampere.
Trabzonspor enter the competition after falling short in the Europa League qualifying playoffs, losing 1-0 at home and 4-0 away to Hungary’s Ferencvaros for a 5-0 aggregate defeat.
The Black Sea club will now attempt to make a fresh start in Europe’s third-tier competition, hoping to end their recent continental struggles with a victory.
The match also offers an opportunity for coach Thomas Reis to extend his team’s improving domestic form.
Trabzonspor have won their last two Turkish Süper Lig matches convincingly, beating Galatasaray 4-0 at home before securing a 3-0 victory away to Samsunspor.
Those results have given Reis’s side renewed confidence, with seven goals scored and none conceded across the two matches.
Another victory on Thursday would give Trabzonspor three consecutive competitive wins and provide a timely boost to their European campaign.
Reis’ European breakthrough
The match will mark Reis’s first European fixture in charge of Trabzonspor, adding another test for a coach who has overseen an encouraging improvement in the team’s domestic performances.
However, ending the club’s European winless run remains a priority. Trabzonspor’s last continental victory came on Aug. 1, 2024, when they defeated Slovakia’s Ruzomberok 1-0 at home in the Europa League second qualifying round.
Since then, the Turkish side have played six European matches without winning, recording four defeats and two draws.
Their heavy aggregate loss to Ferencvaros underlined the need for a stronger performance as they begin their Conference League campaign.
Trabzonspor can take some encouragement from their previous meetings with Finnish opposition, having recorded one win and one draw in two matches against teams from the country.
KuPS seek response
KuPS will also be eager to make a positive start, although the Finnish champions arrive after a difficult spell in their domestic league.
Coach Miika Nuutinen’s side have struggled for consistency during their title defense in the Veikkausliiga.
Their only victory in their last seven league matches was a 2-0 away win over VPS, followed by consecutive 1-0 defeats against AC Oulu at home and Inter Turku away.
The Finnish club nevertheless secured a place in the Conference League league phase after overcoming Shamrock Rovers in the qualifying playoffs. Following a 1-1 draw in Ireland, KuPS won the return leg 1-0 to advance on aggregate.
Their European campaign has already included setbacks in earlier qualifying rounds, with exits from the Champions League qualifiers against Sabah Baku and the Europa League qualifiers against Universitatea Craiova before they secured their place in the Conference League.
Jaime Moreno, who has scored 11 goals for KuPS across all competitions this season, will be one of the home side’s principal attacking threats.
The Finnish club have also faced the challenge of playing away from their usual home ground. Their stadium in Kuopio does not meet UEFA’s requirements for Conference League matches, forcing them to stage their European fixtures at Tammelan Stadion in Tampere, approximately 300 kilometers away.
The venue has a capacity of 8,000 and features an artificial playing surface, conditions Trabzonspor will need to adapt to quickly.
KuPS and Trabzonspor have never met before, although the Finnish side have previous experience against Turkish opposition, recording one win and one defeat in two encounters.
Suspensions and injuries affect Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor will be without several players for the opening fixture. Chibuike Nwaiwu and Sidny Lopes Cabral are suspended after receiving red cards, while goalkeeper Onuralp Çevikkan and midfielder Okay Yokuşlu have been listed among the injured.
Ruslan Malinovskyi is also unavailable because of suspension and injury concerns, while Umut Nayir is another reported absentee. Tim Jabol-Folcarelli has been an injury concern, and Arseniy Batagov has been working toward a return.
Malinovskyi’s absence has also affected the club’s European squad planning. Melih Kabasakal was added to Trabzonspor’s UEFA list as his replacement.
There will, however, be additional options for Reis in Europe. Batista Mendy and Benjamin Bouchouari, who have been unable to play in the Süper Lig because of foreign-player registration restrictions, are eligible for continental fixtures.
Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League struggles continued Tuesday as Barcelona came from behind to secure a 4-1 victory at RAMS Park, leaving the Turkish champions without a point after their first two matches in the competition.
Aleksey Batrakov gave Galatasaray the lead in the 27th minute, but Joao Cancelo equalized before halftime. Barcelona took control after the break, with Fermin Lopez, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi scoring in a 15-minute spell to complete the comeback.
The defeat followed Galatasaray’s 3-1 loss away to Sporting CP in their opening match, leaving Okan Buruk’s side under pressure to recover in their next European fixture. Barcelona, meanwhile, maintained their perfect start to the campaign with a second consecutive victory.
Galatasaray initially struggled to cope with Barcelona’s possession and pressing, spending much of the opening period defending in their own half. The hosts looked to threaten on the counterattack, using long passes to find striker Victor Osimhen and winger Rafael Leao.
That approach paid off in the 27th minute when Galatasaray caught Barcelona out during a quick transition.
Barcelona had appealed for a penalty after Anthony Gordon went down inside the Galatasaray penalty area following a challenge from Barış Alper Yılmaz. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır gathered the ball and immediately restarted play, launching a move that ended with the hosts taking the lead.
Batrakov collected possession near the halfway line and released Leao down the left flank. The winger drove toward the penalty area before cutting the ball back toward the edge of the box, where Batrakov arrived to finish and put Galatasaray ahead.
The goal was the 21-year-old Russian’s first in seven competitive appearances for the club, including five in the Turkish Super Lig.
Galatasaray thought they had doubled their advantage seven minutes later when a corner from Batrakov reached Osimhen, whose header was turned into his own net by Barcelona defender Gerard Martin. Italian referee Marco Guida initially awarded the goal, but a video assistant referee review overturned the decision because Barış Alper was offside and interfering with an opponent.
Barcelona increased the pressure as halftime approached and equalized in the 43rd minute. Dani Olmo supplied Cancelo, who finished into the far corner to make it 1-1.
Uğurcan had kept Galatasaray in the contest with several important first-half saves, denying efforts from Gordon, Cancelo and Olmo. However, the goalkeeper was unable to prevent Barcelona from taking control after the break.
The visitors moved ahead in the 50th minute when Lamine Yamal crossed for Lopez to head home. Three minutes later, Yamal set up Gordon, who finished from a tight angle to double Barcelona’s lead.
Galatasaray struggled to contain the visitors’ attacking pressure, and Adeyemi made it 4-1 in the 65th minute, finishing after a move involving Yamal and Gabriel Jesus.
Barcelona’s three goals in 15 minutes transformed a competitive match into a comfortable victory and exposed Galatasaray’s defensive difficulties after halftime.
The result also extended a troubling pattern for Buruk’s side in Europe. Galatasaray opened their Champions League campaign against Sporting by taking the lead through a Gonçalo Inácio own goal in the fifth minute, only to concede three times in a 3-1 defeat.
Against Barcelona, the Turkish side again went ahead but failed to protect their advantage, conceding once before halftime and three more times after the restart.
Galatasaray have now lost seven of their last 10 Champions League matches, recording two wins and one draw during that stretch. Their victories came against Juventus, whom they beat 5-2, and Liverpool, whom they defeated 1-0. They also drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid.
Their difficulties against Spanish opposition have been just as pronounced. Galatasaray have failed to win their last 10 European matches against Spanish clubs, recording eight defeats and two draws. Their most recent victory came in the 2012-13 Champions League quarterfinals, when they beat Real Madrid 3-2 at home in the second leg.
Tuesday’s defeat was Galatasaray’s 21st in 37 European meetings with Spanish teams. They have recorded eight wins and eight draws in those encounters.
Despite the scoreline, Galatasaray’s supporters continued to back the team and Buruk as Barcelona extended their lead. Fans chanted the coach’s name during the second half and applauded the players after the final whistle. Uğurcan also received special recognition for his first-half saves.
Club captain Abdülkerim Bardakcı started on the bench, with Yunus Akgün wearing the armband from the opening whistle. When Yunus was replaced by Leroy Sane in the 58th minute, the captaincy passed to Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez.
Barcelona, meanwhile, continued their impressive start under coach Hansi Flick. The victory extended their winning run to 10 competitive matches this season, including eight in La Liga and two in the Champions League.
The Catalan side have scored 43 goals in those 10 matches, an average of 4.3 per game, while conceding nine.
Galatasaray will look to end their losing run when they travel to France to face Lille on Oct. 21. Barcelona’s next European assignment will take them to Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona came from behind to crush Galatasaray 4-1 at Istanbul’s RAMS Park on Tuesday, scoring three second-half goals to condemn the Turkish champions to their second consecutive UEFA Champions League defeat.
Galatasaray took the lead in the 28th minute when Aleksey Batrakov fired home a deflected effort following a move involving Rafael Leao.
The hosts thought they had doubled their advantage five minutes later when Barış Alper Yılmaz headed in from close range after Victor Osimhen’s initial header, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Barcelona equalized in the 43rd minute through Joao Cancelo, who found the far corner after receiving a pass from Dani Olmo, sending the teams into halftime level at 1-1.
The Spanish side took control shortly after the restart, with Fermin Lopez heading home Lamine Yamal’s cross in the 50th minute.
Just three minutes later, Anthony Gordon extended Barcelona’s lead with a finish from a tight angle after another assist from Yamal.
Karim Adeyemi completed the scoring in the 65th minute, capitalizing on a loose ball following a move involving Yamal and Gabriel Jesus.
Galatasaray goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır had earlier denied Gordon in the 16th minute, but the hosts struggled to contain Barcelona’s attacking pressure after the break.
The defeat leaves Okan Buruk’s side without a point after two Champions League matches, following their opening 3-1 loss away to Sporting CP.
Barcelona, meanwhile, maintained their perfect start under Hansi Flick, moving to six points from two games.
Galatasaray will travel to France to face Lille on Oct. 21, while Barcelona will visit Paris Saint-Germain in their next European fixture.
Turkish boxer Buse Nur Yazan is targeting a gold medal at the Under-19 World Boxing Championships in Montenegro, hoping to turn her European success into a world title and take another step toward her Olympic ambitions.
The 18-year-old Fenerbahçe athlete has already won two European titles, establishing herself as one of Türkiye’s promising young boxing talents.
She claimed gold in the 57-kilogram division at the 2022 European Junior Boxing Championships in Erzurum and added another European crown in the 66-kilogram category at the 2024 European Youth Boxing Championships in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Yazan most recently won silver in the 70-kilogram division at the European Under-19 Boxing Championships in Loznica, Serbia, in August. After reaching the final, she finished second, gaining valuable experience ahead of her first appearance at the world championships.
She has been preparing for the tournament at the Mediterranean Boxing and Fencing Training Hall in Mersin under national team coach Naci Oral. The championships begin Wednesday in Montenegro and run through Oct. 27.
“My goal has always been to win gold and become a champion,” Yazan told Anadolu Agency (AA). “The previous tournaments have been valuable experiences for me. I am targeting the title at the Under-19 World Boxing Championships, and I hope to represent my country in the best possible way by becoming champion.”
Yazan, who began boxing at age 8, said the demands of competing at the highest level have required significant sacrifices, leaving her with little time for her personal life or family.
“I train a lot, and sometimes I have no social life and can barely see my family,” she said. “I have spent almost the entire year at training camps. I occasionally return home before heading back to another camp.”
Despite the demanding schedule, Yazan remains focused on a long-term ambition that extends beyond the world championships. She hopes to qualify for the 2032 Summer Olympics and eventually win an Olympic gold medal for Türkiye.
“I want to become world champion, qualify for the 2032 Summer Olympics and represent my country in the best possible way there, winning the title,” she said.
Oral said Yazan’s dedication and self-belief had strengthened the team’s confidence in her ability to compete for the world title.
“Buse works hard and believes in herself, and we have complete confidence in her,” he said. “Winning European silver was a good experience for us. Now we want to turn that experience into a gold medal at the Under-19 World Boxing Championships.”
The coach said the team would aim to reach the top of the podium and add a world championship medal to Yazan’s growing collection of achievements.
“Our goal is to reach the summit of the championship and raise the Turkish flag,” Oral said. “We hope to add the world championship medal that is still missing from our collection.”
Türkiye’s four biggest football clubs have accumulated more than TL 108 billion ($2.5 billion) in total liabilities, with Galatasaray carrying the largest debt and Beşiktaş facing the heaviest burden relative to its annual revenue.
Financial statements submitted to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA), show that the publicly traded football companies of Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor had combined liabilities of 108.1 billion liras as of Aug. 31, 2026.
Galatasaray topped the list with TL 34.82 billion, followed by Fenerbahçe with TL 31.1 billion, Beşiktaş with TL 27.95 billion and Trabzonspor with TL 14.23 billion.
Commercial debts, including transfer fees and agent commissions, accounted for the largest share of the combined liabilities.
The clubs also rely heavily on advance payments for future revenue from sponsorships, advertising, season tickets and VIP boxes.
Commercial debts
The four clubs’ combined commercial liabilities stood at TL 43.85 billion, making them the largest category of outstanding obligations.
Galatasaray had the highest commercial debt at TL 16.07 billion, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s TL 13.45 billion, Beşiktaş’s TL 9.77 billion and Trabzonspor’s TL 4.56 billion.
Advance collections for future periods represented another TL 29.49 billion. Galatasaray accounted for TL 8.66 billion of that total, while Fenerbahçe had TL 9.18 billion, Beşiktaş TL 8.05 billion and Trabzonspor TL 3.59 billion.
The clubs also reported TL 12.79 billion in liabilities to employees, public institutions and other parties. Beşiktaş had the largest amount in this category at TL 4.77 billion, followed by Galatasaray with TL 3.61 billion, Trabzonspor with TL 2.77 billion and Fenerbahçe with TL 1.65 billion.
Financial debt, including bank loans, totaled TL 7.68 billion. Galatasaray accounted for TL 5.03 billion and Beşiktaş for TL 2.64 billion, while the reported figures showed no financial debt in this category for Fenerbahçe or Trabzonspor.
Outstanding rental obligations added another TL 7.52 billion, led by Fenerbahçe at TL 6.35 billion. Beşiktaş reported TL 840 million, Trabzonspor TL 210 million and Galatasaray TL 120 million.
Other liabilities, including amounts owed to related parties and third parties, totaled 5.76 billion liras. Provisions accounted for a further 1.02 billion.
Beşiktaş’s highest debt-to-revenue ratio
Although Galatasaray had the largest total liabilities, Beşiktaş carried the heaviest debt burden relative to its revenue.
The black-and-whites reported TL 27.95 billion in total liabilities against TL 12.24 billion in revenue for the 2025-26 season, equivalent to 2.28 times their annual income.
Trabzonspor ranked second, with TL 14.23 billion in liabilities against revenue of TL 6.62 billion, a ratio of 2.15.
Fenerbahçe’s TL 31.1 billion in liabilities amounted to 1.8 times its annual revenue of TL 17.23 billion.
Galatasaray, despite leading the four clubs in total liabilities, had the lowest debt-to-revenue ratio at 1.6. The Istanbul club generated TL 21.75 billion in revenue during the 2025-26 season.
Combined revenue for the four clubs reached TL 57.84 billion, compared with total liabilities of TL 108.1 billion, leaving their collective liabilities at 1.87 times annual revenue.
The comparison uses the clubs’ consolidated balance sheets as of Aug. 31, 2026, and their combined revenue from sales and investment activities for the 2025-26 season. Revenue figures were adjusted for inflation to reflect purchasing power as of the same date.
Future player salaries excluded from total
The TL 108.1 billion figure does not cover all the clubs’ future financial commitments.
Guaranteed salaries owed to players and coaching staff for periods after Aug. 31, 2026, under existing contracts are not included in the reported liabilities to the extent that those payments have not yet been recognized as debts.
However, salaries and other payments already due to players and coaching staff by that date, but still unpaid, are included in the clubs’ existing liabilities.
-
Politics3 days agoTürkiye presses Greece to hand over FETÖ members, crime bosses
-
Economy2 days agoTop oil execs drop from major event schedule after Riyadh attacks
-
Economy2 days agoTürkiye says 17 funds settled, eyes Atlas deal this week
-
Sports3 days agoBezzecchi wins Indonesian GP to hand Martin championship lead
-
Politics2 days agoTroubled funds, terror-free Türkiye on the agenda as the Cabinet meets
-
Economy2 days agoAI ‘slow-moving tsunami’ but holds global growth, IMF chief says
-
Sports1 day agoFenerbahçe hope to turn Champions League tables against Aston Villa
-
Economy1 day agoBusiness world wants fresh momentum in Türkiye-EU engagement