Crystal Palace could hardly have picked a worse time to visit one of Europe’s most intimidating grounds.
The Eagles travel to Istanbul on Thursday night looking to bounce back from a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Brighton, a result that has piled further pressure on manager Pierre Sage.
Conceding three goals inside the opening ten minutes against their biggest rivals was bad enough. Following that with a trip to a Beşiktaş side that has scored seven goals in two Europa League matches is hardly ideal.
The Turkish giants have made an excellent start to their European campaign, beating Marseille 4-1 before securing a thrilling 3-2 victory away at Hoffenheim.
Their domestic form has been less convincing, with a 2-0 defeat against Trabzonspor on Monday, but Niels Frederiksen’s side have looked particularly dangerous in Europe.
Palace opened their own campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Lech Poznań, although a 3-2 defeat at Lyon exposed some familiar defensive problems.
The Eagles have now conceded eight goals in their last two matches, and another difficult evening could be waiting in Istanbul.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Bournemouth vs AC Milan betting tips, team news and predictions
What are the best betting tips for Beşiktaş vs Crystal Palace?
Beşiktaş to win
Beşiktaş have made a flying start to their Europa League campaign, collecting six points from their opening two matches.
The Turkish side have scored seven goals against Marseille and Hoffenheim, demonstrating their ability to punish opponents with attacking movement and quick transitions.
Palace, meanwhile, are struggling badly at the back.
Sunday’s 5-0 defeat against Brighton was particularly concerning, with Sage’s side looking disorganised and vulnerable whenever the hosts attacked.
Their previous Europa League defeat at Lyon also highlighted those weaknesses, despite Palace scoring twice themselves.
A trip to the Tüpraş Stadium is difficult enough when confidence is high. Arriving after conceding eight goals in two matches makes the task considerably harder.
Beşiktaş have the attacking quality and home advantage to make Palace’s defensive problems count.
Both teams to score
Crystal Palace’s defensive record makes backing a clean sheet difficult, but the Eagles still possess enough attacking quality to trouble Beşiktaş.
Sage’s side scored four against Lech Poznań in their Europa League opener and twice against Lyon, despite eventually losing in France.
Yeremy Pino, Ismaïla Sarr and Jørgen Strand Larsen offer different attacking threats, particularly when Palace can break quickly into space.
Beşiktaş, meanwhile, have been ruthless going forward but haven’t looked completely secure defensively.
They conceded against both Marseille and Hoffenheim, shipping three goals across their opening two European fixtures.
With the hosts expected to attack and Palace needing a response to their Brighton embarrassment, opportunities could arrive at both ends.
Leandro Trossard to score or assist
Leandro Trossard could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Palace’s defensive struggles on Thursday.
The former Arsenal attacker brings Premier League experience to Beşiktaş’s forward line, alongside the creativity and movement needed to exploit an unsettled defence.
Palace have looked particularly vulnerable when opponents move the ball quickly into dangerous areas, and Trossard is comfortable operating both out wide and between the lines.
The Belgian’s ability to create chances for teammates makes the goal-or-assist market appealing without relying entirely on him finding the net.
With Beşiktaş already scoring seven goals in Europe, another productive attacking performance could be on the cards.
BET £10 TODAY AND GET £30 IN FREE BETS TO USE ON THE EUROPA AND PREMIER LEAGUE WITH MIDNITE
What is Beşiktaş’s predicted team?
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Nübel; Murillo, Agbadou, Topçu, Ouattara; Ndidi, Özcan; Fakili, Olaitan, Trossard; Kılıçsoy.
Injured: Milot Rashica, Orkun Kökçü.
Fitness concerns: Dušan Vlahović.
Suspended: Oh Hyeon-gyu is reported unavailable through suspension.
Beşiktaş have several attacking selection decisions ahead of Palace’s visit.
Milot Rashica remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while Orkun Kökçü is recovering from a foot injury.
That should leave Wilfred Ndidi and Salih Özcan competing for roles in central midfield, with Junior Olaitan providing creativity further forward.
Leandro Trossard is expected to feature in attack, while the availability of Dušan Vlahović could influence the centre-forward position.
Serdar Kılıçsoy is an alternative to lead the line.
At the back, Emmanuel Agbadou and Emirhan Topçu are options in central defence, with Alexander Nübel expected to start in goal.
Beşiktaş have plenty of attacking quality, but they’ll need to remain organised against Palace’s pace on the counterattack.
What is Crystal Palace’s predicted team?
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Benítez; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Mingueza, Timber, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Strand Larsen.
Injured: Chadi Riad.
Fitness concerns: Dean Henderson, Ben Chilwell, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Suspended: None confirmed.
Pierre Sage faces some difficult decisions after Sunday’s embarrassing defeat at Brighton.
Palace conceded three times in the opening ten minutes, and defensive changes would hardly come as a surprise.
Axel Disasi is available following his domestic suspension and could return alongside Chris Richards and Jaydee Canvot.
Dean Henderson’s fitness remains uncertain, meaning Wálter Benítez could continue in goal.
Adam Wharton and Quinten Timber should provide the midfield foundation, while Óscar Mingueza and Tyrick Mitchell offer width.
Further forward, Yeremy Pino and Ismaïla Sarr could support Jørgen Strand Larsen.
Palace have the attacking players to cause Beşiktaş problems, but Sage’s biggest challenge will be preventing another defensive collapse.
Beşiktaş vs Crystal Palace stats
- Beşiktaş have won both of their opening Europa League matches.
- The Turkish side have scored seven goals and conceded three in Europe.
- Beşiktaş beat Marseille 4-1 before defeating Hoffenheim 3-2.
- Crystal Palace have three points from their opening two Europa League fixtures.
- Palace beat Lech Poznań 4-0 before losing 3-2 against Lyon.
- The Eagles have conceded eight goals across their last two competitive matches.
- Palace suffered a 5-0 defeat against Brighton on Sunday.
- Beşiktaş lost 2-0 away at Trabzonspor in their latest domestic fixture.
- This will be the first competitive meeting between Beşiktaş and Crystal Palace.
Where can I watch Beşiktaş vs Crystal Palace?
Beşiktaş host Crystal Palace at the Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul on Thursday, 22 October 2026, with kick-off at 8 pm BST.
United Kingdom: TNT Sports / HBO Max. Check the final listings for the specific channel.
United States: Check local Europa League streaming listings, with kick-off at 3 pm ET.
Canada: DAZN Canada, with kick-off at 3 pm ET.
Beşiktaş vs Crystal Palace prediction
Crystal Palace desperately need a response after their humiliating defeat against Brighton, but Istanbul is hardly the ideal destination for a team struggling with confidence.
The Eagles have conceded eight goals in their last two matches, and their defensive organisation has been a major concern.
Beşiktaş have been excellent in Europe, scoring seven goals against Marseille and Hoffenheim while collecting maximum points.
Their attacking movement could prove particularly troublesome for a Palace defence that has struggled to cope with pressure.
However, the visitors shouldn’t be written off completely.
Palace have scored six goals across their opening two Europa League matches, and players such as Pino and Sarr are capable of creating opportunities against an adventurous Beşiktaş side.
The hosts’ domestic defeat against Trabzonspor also suggests they aren’t unbeatable.
Nevertheless, the combination of home advantage, attacking confidence and Palace’s defensive problems makes Beşiktaş difficult to oppose.
Expect the Eagles to offer more attacking resistance than they managed at Brighton, but another defeat could leave Sage facing even more uncomfortable questions.
Score prediction: Beşiktaş 3-1 Crystal Palace
Some links in this article are affiliate links. EPL Bets receives commission from qualifying activity made through these links. This does not affect the odds or offers available to you. Odds available at the time of writing. 18+ New customers only. Place a £10+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £30 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days on selected bets only. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
