Besiktas - Marseille

Can Besiktas maintain their domestic momentum as they return to European competition? The Turkish side hosts Marseille at Tupras Stadyumu on 17 September 2026 for their Europa League matchday 1 encounter. Besiktas are expected to field an attacking setup with Dusan Vlahovic and Leandro Trossard leading the line, supported by a midfield anchored by Orkun Kokcu. However, they will be without Ridvan Yilmaz due to injury. Marseille arrive looking to steady their rhythm after a challenging start to their league campaign, with Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg expected to dictate play in midfield while they manage the absence of the injured Geoffrey Kondogbia.

Besiktas enter this match in strong form, having secured three consecutive domestic victories, including a 3-0 win over Erzurumspor FK. Conversely, Marseille are navigating a difficult run, suffering three straight league defeats. The visitors will look for a reset in this opening group fixture, relying on the attacking movement of Amine Gouiri and Igor Paixao to disrupt the home side. With both teams seeking to establish an early foothold in the group, the tactical battle between the Besiktas midfield and the Marseille defensive line will likely define the outcome of this opening contest.