Ajax does not have to take Miralem Pjanic into account when visiting Besiktas on Tuesday. The midfielder hired from Barcelona suffered a muscle injury against Altay (2-1 loss) on Friday evening and cannot play in the Champions League match, according to his trainer Sergen Yalçin. The Besiktas coach is hopeful that a number of other injured people will return.
Besiktas is currently struggling with major personnel problems and had to miss ten players on Friday when visiting PhD student Altay. At least three of these are expected to return from Yalçin. “Michy Batshuayi and Cyle Larin can make it to the game and Valentin Rosier was suspended today,” said the coach. “Maybe Necip Uysal can also return.”
This leaves the infirmary at Besiktas overcrowded, because Welinton, Rachid Ghezzal, Domagoj Vida, Mehmet Topal, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou and Alex Teixeira will not make it to the match against Ajax. “We can’t help it, we will have to come up with a solution,” said Yalçin, who saw his team felled by Leandro Kappel on Friday evening. The Dutch attacker of Altay produced a goal and an assist in the second half.
“I don’t think we deserved the defeat,” Yalçin said. “It was a difficult game for my players. We could have won if we had taken the chances to increase the score. We had to concede two goals due to individual mistakes. A lot of players don’t play in their own position. I don’t say it as excuse, but we also have to think about the players. I think when we have had the match against Ajax and Sivasspor, many players will be back from injuries.”
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