Besiktas vs Athletic Club Prediction: No new manager bounce for Solskjaer in Istanbul

After more than three years out of the game since being sacked as Manchester United boss in November 2021, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes his return to management on Wednesday (15:30, TNT Sports 4) as the new head coach of Turkish giants Besiktas, who host Spanish side Athletic Club in round seven of the Uefa Europa League league phase.

Solskjaer has a big job on his hands at Vodafone Park, particularly in Europe as the Black Eagles are currently 28th in the table, a point behind Elfsborg (24th) who currently occupy the final knockout round play-off spot. Read on for my Besiktas vs Athletic Club prediction, alongside all the latest team news and match odds, to see whether I'm backing the Norwegian to make an instant impact in Istanbul.

Team News

Necip Uysal (knee), Emrecan Terzi (ankle) and Tayyip Talha Sanuc (hamstring) will all miss Solskjaer's Besiktas bow as they continue their recoveries from injury. Ex-Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista (hamstring) and Bakhtiyor Zaynutdinov (unspecified) are also doubtful.

Former West Ham United players Arthur Masuaku and Joao Mario started Saturday's goalless draw with Samsunspor in the Super Lig and alongside Italian centre-forward Ciro Immobile are expected to keep their places in Solskjaer's first starting XI.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who won the Premier League and Uefa Champions League in a trophy-laden six-year spell with Liverpool, has been an unused substitute since the turn of the year but as someone familiar to his new manager, could be utilised a lot more in the coming weeks.

Football Odds

Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde, whose Barcelona side beat Solskjaer's Manchester United 4-0 (3-0, 0-1) on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2019, the year that Liverpool and Oxlade-Chamberlain lifted the trophy, could make a few changes to the starting XI that lined up in Sunday's 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.

Yuri Berchiche could come in at left-back while Oscar de Marcos may start on the opposite side with Adama Boiro and Andoni Gorosabel making way for the experienced duo. Another defender, Aitor Paredes, could replace Yeray Alvarez and join Dani Vivian in central defence. Behind them, Julen Agirrezabala, who has featured five times in the league phase, is likely to start ahead of first-choice shot-stopper Unai Simon.

In midfield, Mikel Jauregizar could get the nod after being restricted to a substitute appearance in Vigo, while Gorka Guruzeta is an option in attack.

Oihan Sancet (ankle) appears to be Athletic's only injury worry ahead of Wednesday's game.

Besiktas vs Athletic Club Odds

Besiktas have won just two of their last seven matches and have lost four of their six league phase matches including their most recent two. The Black Eagles are 16/5 to claim a vital three points in their quest for qualification on Wednesday, giving the hosts an implied win probability of 23.8%, while Athletic are 5/6, or a 54.5% chance, to remain unbeaten on their travels in Europe and triumph for a third time in four league phase away games.

The draw is priced at 11/4, both teams to score at 4/6, and over 2.5 total goals at 8/11.

Guruzeta (8/5) is favourite in the anytime goalscorer market followed by teammate Alvaro Djalo and Besiktas' main man Immobile (both 15/8).

Double Chance & BTTS - Draw or Athletic Club & Yes @ 21/20

Athletic drew their league phase opener away to AS Roma (1-1) before embarking on a five-match winning run that has them second, level on points with leaders Lazio, heading into the seventh round of fixtures this week. Lehoiak have only conceded twice in the competition, keeping four clean sheets in their last five matches, and arrive in Istanbul on the back of a morale-boosting victory over Celta Vigo which followed three matches without a win in regulation time.

Besiktas, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four but have won just one of their last seven. Wednesday's hosts have only won twice in the league phase so far and trail Athletic by 10 points, highlighting the levels between the two sides.

The appointment of Solskjaer could inject some life into the Turkish giants, though, at least in the short term. The 51-year-old had an instant impact at Man United back in 2018, winning his first eight games in charge, with his easy-going nature said to have been a breath of fresh air at a club that was in a state of depression following Jose Mourinho's combative style that had rubbed a few key players up the wrong way.

The hope will be that Solskjaer can achieve something similar at Besiktas, a club that has fallen well behind city rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in recent years, last lifting the Super Lig trophy in 2021.

While I think the Norwegian will see his side score the first goal of his reign against Athletic, with Besiktas netting in five of their six league phase games - including all three at home - and 10 of their last 11 in all competitions, the visitors should have enough to at least avoid defeat in Turkey, and if I was to back a side to take all three points, it would be the Spaniards.

I'll take the insurance of a stalemate though and back a draw or Athletic Club and both teams to score at 21/20, a bet that has won in two of their three away league phase matches this term.

Player to Receive a Card - Jonas Svensson (BES) @ 18/5

Besiktas' Norwegian right-back Jonas Svensson has started all six of his side's league phase matches, completing all but one of them, and has been a fixture in their Super Lig starting XI, too. He recently sat out a league game, though - the 2-1 victory over Bodrumspor - having picked up a one-game suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards in the competition. The 31-year-old has been booked four times in 16 Super Lig appearances this season, one more than in 2023/24 when he was carded in three of his 10 outings.

Svensson is yet to be cautioned in the Europa League for Besiktas but he hasn't been shy to stick a boot in, averaging 1.3 fouls per game, including three in the Black Eagles' last one at home against Maccabi Tel Aviv (1-3).

On Wednesday, Svensson could be up against Euro 2024 star Nico Williams, who has scored once and registered two assists in six league phase matches (five starts). The 22-year-old winger has proven to be too hot to handle for a few opposition defenders and has been fouled, on average, 1.3 times per game.

AZ Alkmaar right-back Seiya Maikuma and Elfsborg's right-sided defender Buhari Ibrahim have both been booked for upending Williams this term and Svensson could be the next name on that list. At 18/5, he's certainly worthy of consideration in the card market, particularly as he is not walking a disciplinary tightrope that would see him banned for Besiktas' final league phase game next week.

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