Beşiktaş vs Crystal Palace: UEFA Europa League, league phase preview

UEFA Europa League · League phase

Beşiktaş

W17 Sep · Beşiktaş 4-1 MarseilleL20 Sep · Amed 3-2 BeşiktaşW11 Oct · Beşiktaş 2-1 KocaelisporW15 Oct · 1899 Hoffenheim 2-3 BeşiktaşL19 Oct · Trabzonspor 2-0 Beşiktaş

VS

Crystal Palace

W17 Sep · Crystal Palace 4-0 Lech PoznanD20 Sep · Leeds 0-0 Crystal PalaceW11 Oct · Crystal Palace 3-1 Nottingham ForestL15 Oct · Lyon 3-2 Crystal PalaceL18 Oct · Brighton 5-0 Crystal Palace

Thursday 22 October 2026 · 21:00

Read our prediction →Read the post-match analysisTrack Record

Beşiktaş host Crystal Palace in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, with both sides arriving in contrasting moods after busy domestic and European schedules.

Form guide

Beşiktaş have won three of their last five matches across all competitions, scoring eleven and conceding nine over those games, with both teams scoring in four of the five. Their two home games among the last five both ended in wins, with six goals scored and two conceded across them. Their away record over that same stretch is less convincing: one win and two defeats in the three away games among the last five, with five scored and seven conceded, and they failed to score in one of those trips. Their most recent game was a 0-2 loss away to Trabzonspor in the Süper Lig on 19 October. Four days before that, they won 3-2 away to 1899 Hoffenheim in the Europa League, and four days earlier still they beat Kocaelispor 2-1 at home in the Süper Lig. In the Süper Lig this season, Beşiktaş sit fifth with fifteen points from eight games, winning five and losing three, with sixteen scored and ten conceded. Their home league record is particularly strong: four wins from four home games, averaging three goals scored and 0.75 conceded per game.

Crystal Palace have taken two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five matches, scoring nine and conceding nine, keeping two clean sheets but also failing to score twice. The two home games among their last five both ended in wins, with seven scored and one conceded. Their away record — no wins, one draw and two defeats, with two scored and eight conceded, and failing to score in two of those three away games — contrasts sharply with their form at home. Their most recent outing was a 0-5 defeat away to Brighton in the Premier League on 18 October. Three days before that they lost 2-3 away to Lyon in the Europa League, and four days earlier they beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at home in the Premier League. In the Premier League this season, Palace are fourteenth with seven points from seven games — two wins, one draw and four defeats — conceding seventeen and scoring nine, with a conceded-per-game figure of 2.43.

Head to head

The two clubs have not met in a competitive match in recent seasons, so there is no head-to-head record to go on.

Team news

Beşiktaş are without three players. Kökçü misses out with a foot injury, and Rashica is ruled out with a muscle injury. Keleş also misses out.

Crystal Palace have a longer absentee list. Doucouré, Gozo, Guessand and Lerma all miss out. Riad is ruled out with a knee injury. Chilwell is doubtful with an injury, Henderson is a doubt with a foot injury, and Tomiyasu is doubtful with a calf injury.

What to watch

Beşiktaş have averaged 2.24 xG per game across their last four matches, against an average xG against of 1.71, though three of those four matches were played away from home, so those figures reflect their overall recent output rather than home strength alone. Palace, by contrast, have averaged 1.47 xG per game across their last four matches, and have conceded an average xG against of 2.20.

Losing Kökçü, who has featured fourteen times and contributed two goals and four assists across all competitions this season, represents a meaningful gap for Beşiktaş. Both sides have scored and conceded freely over the recent run, and the market reflects an open game: the bookmakers make over 2.5 goals a 63% chance and both teams scoring a 65% chance. Beşiktaş come into this with three days’ rest since Monday’s Süper Lig trip to Trabzonspor; Palace have had four days since their Sunday defeat at Brighton — a slight edge in recovery for the visitors. The bookmakers make Beşiktaş a 44% chance to win, Crystal Palace 31%, with the draw at 25%.

Closing thoughts

The form lines and the market both point to goals, and the sheer number of absentees on the Palace side adds further uncertainty to what is already a demanding away fixture.