FC Midtjylland vs Besiktas - prediction, team news, lineups

Needing to overturn a one-goal shortage to support their Europa League dreams alive, FC Midtjylland invited Besiktas to MCH Arena connected Thursday for the instrumentality limb of their 2nd qualifying circular tie.

The Danish outfit suffered a 1-0 decision successful past week's archetypal leg successful Istanbul, successful what was the archetypal competitory gathering betwixt the 2 clubs.

Match preview

Midtjylland's task became harder successful past week's archetypal limb aft Friday Etim was sent disconnected successful the 15th minute, leaving the Wolves nether unit for overmuch of the contest, with goalkeeper Elias Olafsson producing a drawstring of important saves to support the shortage to a minimum.

Olafsson faced six shots during the match, though helium was incapable to forestall Orkun Kokcu's curling effort successful the 26th minute, arsenic the constrictive decision brought Mike Tullberg's broadside backmost down to world pursuing an astir flawless pre-season.

Midtjylland had gone unbeaten crossed 5 pre-season friendlies earlier that loss, winning 4 of those matches, including a 6-0 thrashing of Cardiff City and a 4-1 triumph implicit Odense that highlighted their attacking prime up of the caller campaign.

Encouragingly for the Jutland club, the disappointment of that decision did not transportation into their home opener, having responded with a 3-2 triumph implicit Sonderjyske to statesman the Superliga play connected a affirmative enactment aft finishing arsenic runners-up past term.

Tullberg's broadside besides transportation the acquisition of past season's Europa League campaign, wherever they progressed automatically to the knockout stages earlier suffering a heartbreaking punishment shootout decision to Nottingham Forest successful the past 16 pursuing a 2-1 location nonaccomplishment successful the 2nd leg.

Meanwhile, Besiktas' past European run ended successful the league signifier of the 2024-25 Europa League, and their first-leg triumph has near the Turkish giants needing lone to debar decision connected Thursday to determination a measurement person to the main competition.

That triumph gave Vincenzo Italiano the cleanable commencement to his competitory reign aft taking complaint successful June portion besides easing concerns pursuing an underwhelming pre-season run for the Black Eagles.

Besiktas managed conscionable 2 wins from six friendlies during that spell, losing to Widzew Lodz (2-0) and Spartak Trnava (3-2), with those 2 defeats representing the lone occasions they conceded much than once, meaning antiaircraft subject could beryllium important connected Thursday.

However, the visitors volition besides beryllium mindful that they were beaten successful 2 of their last 4 competitory outings played distant from their crushed successful the 2025-26 season, but avoiding decision successful Jutland would publication a 3rd qualifying circular gathering with either Tromso oregon Hradec Kralove.
 

FC Midtjylland Europa League form:

FC Midtjylland signifier (all competitions):

Besiktas Europa League form:

Team News

Midtjylland are sweating implicit the fittingness of defender Victor Bak, who was forced disconnected astatine halftime against Sonderjyske past play and remains a uncertainty for Thursday's encounter.

If Bak is unavailable, helium volition articulation Ousmane Diao, Mikel Gogorza and Junior Brumado connected the sidelines, portion Etim volition service his suspension for that reddish paper successful the archetypal leg.

Although Mads Bech Sorensen, Valdemar Byskov and substitute Julius Emefile each recovered the nett astatine the weekend, overmuch of Midtjylland's attacking menace is inactive expected to travel from Franculino Dju and Gue-sung Cho, who should pb the enactment erstwhile again.

Meanwhile, Besiktas person been handed a boost aft Tiago Djalo was declared acceptable pursuing the wounded scare helium suffered successful past week's archetypal leg, though Wilfred Ndidi (ankle) remains sidelined.

Felix Uduokhai continues his continental suspension, portion summertime signing Leandro Trossard is besides unavailable, having been granted further permission pursuing Belgium's information astatine the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FC Midtjylland imaginable starting lineup:

Olafsson; Kristensen, Erlic, Sorensen; Osorio, Billing, Bravo, Byskov, B Junior; Dju, Cho

Besiktas imaginable starting lineup:

Nubel; Yilmaz, Djalo, Topcu, Murillo; Ozcan; Cerny, Olaitan, Kokcu, Fakili; Oh

We say: FC Midtjylland 1-1 Besiktas (Besiktas triumph 2-1 connected aggregate)

While the scoreline and statistic from the archetypal limb marque hard speechmaking for Midtjylland, the aboriginal dismissal of Etim undoubtedly shaped the contest, making it hard to gully excessively galore conclusions from the performance.

What does look apt is that the hosts volition person to instrumentality the inaugural from the outset, but committing numbers guardant could permission gaps astatine the back, and 1 extremity from Besiktas whitethorn beryllium capable to unafraid a gully and a spot successful the adjacent round.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.