Besiktas – Bodo/Glimt : Preview & Prediction
The 2023/24 campaign has been nothing short of disastrous for Beşiktaş so far, as they sit 12 points off the top of the Turkish SuperLig and are winless in this UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) group stage (E1, P2). Matchday 4 of their European campaign could well be the last chance for the “Black Eagles,” who find themselves in last place in Group D after suffering back-to-back defeats.
Squandering a two-goal lead in the last ten minutes against Lugano spelled the end of Senol Günes’ tenure in charge, but interim coach Burak Yılmaz has not fared much better, with Beşiktaş losing 3-1 to Bodø/Glimt in the first meeting between the two two two weeks ago. Conceding multiple goals is proving to be a problem, as they conceded three in the space of 11 minutes against Antalyaspor at the weekend (P 3-2), a less than ideal preparation as they look to maintain an unbeaten home record against Norwegian opponents here (G4, E1).
Bodø’s win in this matchday three clash between the two sides lifted them into the qualifying places in Group D, and was a welcome respite after failing to score in their first two games (E1, P1). That win was the third in a five-match winning streak for the ‘Yellow Horde’, who virtually clinched their third Norwegian title in four years with a dominant 4-0 win at the weekend that saw them score three goals before the break.
Kjetil Knutsen’s men are appearing in their third consecutive European group stage, and on the previous two occasions they have made it past the group stage. If that impressive record is to continue, their away form may well prove crucial, as they are yet to lose on the road in Europe this season (G2, E2), a run made all the more impressive by the fact that they failed to win any of their eight such games last season (E2, P6).
Players to watch: Beşiktaş striker Cenk Tosun has scored in back-to-back games for the ‘Black Eagles’; his 88th-minute goal on matchday one earned his side their only point of this UECL campaign. Bodø’s Albert Gronbæk scored and assisted in the previous match against Besiktas, and that is part of a streak of five goal contributions in his last four games (Goals 2, Assists 3).
Standout Fact: None of Beşiktaş’s last seven matches in all competitions registered more than one goal before halftime.
Besiktas – Bodo/Glimt : Betting Tips
Besiktas – Win Odds: 2.25
