Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has stressed that Besiktas’ recent record against English teams suggests his side are in for a tough time against them tonight at Anfield.
The Reds welcome the Turkish giants to Anfield tonight for the first leg of their Europa League round of 32 clash.
Besiktas have twice encountered English teams in Europe already this season. They faced Arsenal in the Champions League playoff round, where Arsene Wenger’s men prevailed with a 1-0 narrow home win after their trip to Turkey ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Tottenham failed to beat their Turkish opponents in both their Europa League group games. Besiktas registered a 1-0 win at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium and managed to hold on to a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane.
Rodgers has taken note of their performances against two of the best teams in England and said that Liverpool are aware of Besiktas’ strength as a unit.
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Besiktas qualified for the knockout round as Group C winners and are also leading the Turkish league table at the moment. The Liverpool manager noted that they are in good form and stressed that he is expecting a tough couple of nights for the Reds against the Turkish giants.
"It is a tough game against Besiktas, a team that are obviously very strong in their own country”, Rodgers said in a press conference.
“They have got good experience of playing games in this country, you saw their recent games against Tottenham and Arsenal.
"They are solid behind that and they showed that in the two games against Tottenham, that they are defensively strong. They are a team that is used to winning so they have a mentality which is to win.
"Any time they have come up against an English team recently, they have always made it very difficult. They are a good side and we expect a tough game over the two legs."
Under Slaven Bilic, Besiktas currently top the Turkish Super Lig.
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