Europa League
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Played
December 14, 2011 6:00 PM GMT
FİYAPI İnönü Stadyumu — İstanbul
Referee:‬ M. Borski‎
Attendance:‬ 26118‎
 
59′ (PG) Manuel Fernandes
Ricardo Fuller 29′
74′ Mustafa Pektemek
 
82′ Edu
 

Besiktas - Stoke City Preview: Tony Pulis' side looking to continue unbeaten Europa League run

The Potters have already qualified and a draw or win would see them through as group winners, but the Turkish side need a point to be certain of progressing to the next stage

By Adithya Ananth

More On :  Beşiktaş, Stoke City, Beşiktaş vs Stoke City
Tony Pulis, Stoke City v Fulham (Getty Images)

PROBABLE LINEUPS

BESIKTAS

Gonen
Hilbert, Sivok, Korkmaz, Koybasi
Ernst, Aurelio
Quaresma, Uysal, Simao
H Almeida

STOKE CITY

Begovic
Shotton, Shawcross, Upson, Huth
Pennant, Palacios, Diao, Delap
Jones, Jerome
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is likely to make some changes to the side that beat Tottenham on Sunday seeing as the Potters have already qualified to the next stage of the competition. However, he should still field a fairly strong lineup as his team have the chance to go through as group winners if they avoid defeat. Only Mamady Sidibe and Andy Wilkinson are unavailable.

Besiktas have slightly more pressing concerns as they need a point to be certain of progressing, so they should also put foward a strong lineup.


 DID YOU KNOW

  • Besiktas do not have an impressive record against English clubs in Istanbul. They have won once, lost twice and have drawn three times in six matches at the Inonu Stadium.
  • That lone victory came in the 2007-08 Champions League against Liverpool. Two current Stoke players were in the Reds' squad that day, as Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant tasted a European defeat in Turkey.
  • Besiktas have never won a European competition. Quarter-final appearances in the Champions League and Europa League is the best that they have managed so far.
  • This is the first year that Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has led a side out in Europe.
  • The Potters are Britain's only unbeaten team in European competition and are currently at the top of Group E, needing only a point to go through to the knockout stages as group winners.
  • Stoke have conceded only four goals in the group, and currently have a goal difference of +5.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Beşiktaş 2-1 Stoke City
    19.86 %
  • Beşiktaş 1-1 Stoke City
    15.31 %
  • Beşiktaş 1-0 Stoke City
    12.2 %
Head to Head
Europa League ‎(EL)‎ 14 Dec 2011 Beşiktaş 3 - Stoke City 1
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Europa League ‎(EL)‎ 29 Sep 2011 Stoke City 2 - Beşiktaş 1
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Last Five Matches
Beşiktaş
11 May 2012Beşiktaş 1 - Trabzonspor 1TUR1
6 May 2012Galatasaray 2 - Beşiktaş 2TUR1
3 May 2012Beşiktaş 1 - Fenerbahçe 0TUR1
29 Apr 2012Fenerbahçe 2 - Beşiktaş 1TUR1
21 Apr 2012Trabzonspor 1 - Beşiktaş 0TUR1
Stoke City
13 May 2012Stoke City 2 - Bolton Wanderers 2EPL
6 May 2012QPR 1 - Stoke City 0EPL
1 May 2012Stoke City 1 - Everton 1EPL
28 Apr 2012Stoke City 1 - Arsenal FC 1EPL
21 Apr 2012Newcastle United 3 - Stoke City 0EPL
Odds
Returns: Beşiktaş £19.80 188bet Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game
Returns: Draw £100.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Stoke City £810.00 Sportingbet Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets!
Team News
Available Squads
1Rüştü ReçberGoalkeeper
3İsmail KöybaşıDefender
6Tomas SivokDefender
55Egemen KorkmazDefender
4Manuel FernandesMidfielder
8Veli KavlakMidfielder
13Roberto HilbertMidfielder
18Necip UysalMidfielder
28Fabian ErnstMidfielder
9Hugo AlmeidaStriker
23Filip HološkoStriker
99Cenk GönenGoalkeeper
5Ibrahim ToramanDefender
27SidneiDefender
17Ekrem DağMidfielder
24Júlio AlvesMidfielder
11Mustafa PektemekStriker
33EduStriker
1Asmir BegovicGoalkeeper
3Danny HigginbothamDefender
20Matthew UpsonDefender
28Andy WilkinsonDefender
15Salif DiaoDefender
24Rory DelapMidfielder
32Diego ArismendiMidfielder
40W. PalaciosMidfielder
9Kenwyne JonesStriker
10Ricardo FullerStriker
33Cameron JeromeStriker
27Carlo NashGoalkeeper
16Jermaine PennantMidfielder
41Michael ClarksonMidfielder
44Lucas DawsonMidfielder
Players to Watch
Hugo Almeida
Hugo Almeida
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
9 3 4 0
The striker will want to put a few past the Potters and ensure that his side not only go through to the Round of 32, but do so as group winners. But he will need to be in top form to outsmart Stoke's physical back-line.
Asmir Begovic
Asmir Begovic
Position: Goalkeeper
Squad Number: 1
Games Goals YC RC
3 0 1 0
The Bosnian had started the season as the club's first-choice goalkeeper, meaning Thomas Sorensen came in for European duty, but a series of poor performances has seent he former Portsmouth man lose his spot to the Dane. However, he will likely start in Turkey as Pulis prefers to give the second-choice keeper games in cup matches to allow both shot-stoppers to compete for the Premier League role. The youngster will be looking to grasp his chance to remind his manager of his quality.
Prediction
Stoke are probably going to ease up a bit having already qualified to the next stage. But they will want to go through as the winners of the group.

In the meantime, Besiktas need at least a point to go through, so both sides could play out a draw in Istanbul.
Editor's Prediction
Beşiktaş 1
Stoke City 1
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Striker
Schalke 		14 3
Radamel Falcao Radamel Falcao
Striker
Atlético Madrid 		12 1
Adrián Adrián
Striker
Atlético Madrid 		10 0
Fernando Llorente Torres Fernando Llorente Torres
Striker
Bilbao 		7 2
Jonatan Ezequiel Cristaldo Jonatan Ezequiel Cristaldo
Striker
Metalist Kharki 		7 0