To that end, a brief look at our opponents tonight - Besiktas. Seeing as it's a European tie I figure a little look at opponents we don't often play wouldn't go amiss. There's a brief history of the club on the official website, from which I cull this nice little story on why they are nicknamed the "Black Eagles," told with a certain air of legend:
Beşiktaş, the title holder the last two seasons started the 1940-41 season with a young and renewed team. Beşiktaş, which opened up its lead as weeks went by, was the leader in the league. Five weeks remaining to the end, the opponent was Süleymaniye. Beşiktaş had started the game in Şeref Stadium refereed by Semih Turansoy on Sunday January 19, 1941 with the following players: Faruk, Yavuz, İbrahim, Rıfat, Halil, Hüseyin, Şakir, Hakkı, Şükrü, Şeref, Eşref. As in all games of that season, our team played magnificently. Half way through the second half of the game, Beşiktaş attacked endlessly although it is way in front. Just then, a voice was heard from Şeref Stadı stands towards which Beşiktaş was attacking where there was an Atatürk panel. “Come on Black Eagles. Attack Black Eagles. Thousands of fans and journalists following the game that filled Şeref Stadium were frozen by the echoing sound. What was done was an extremely correct observation. It was not possible to describe the Beşiktaş players who crushed over their opponents that season as nothing other than “Black Eagles” and the soccer they played as nothing other than “Attacking like Black Eagles”. The owner of the voice coming from the stands was a fisherman called Mehmet Galin.
Beşiktaş closed the game with a 6-0 lead with 3 magnificent goals volleyed in by Şeref Görkey, who was known as volleyer Şeref and one goal each by Captain Hakkı, Şakir and Şükrü.
After this game, Beşiktaş’s symbol has become “Black Eagles”.
They currently stand 11th in the Turkish League with 6 points from 5 games, and come into tonight's game on the back of a 3-0 defeat away to Galatasaray - who lead the league, having won all their games, to put that defeat into context. They have only managed three goals in their 5 league games, and have not scored in three of their 5 games.
The last time they were in the Champions League, in 2007-2008, they didn't progress past the group stage, losing all their away ties, and losing to Porto at home, but beating Marseilles and Liverpool. Of course, as with every trip to Turkey, there is the usual talk of the "fanatical" fans, here from The Guardian:
Besiktas, however, have beaten Liverpool at their intimidating stadium on the banks of the Bosphorus, motivated by a crowd that was officially registered as the loudest in world football when they were measured at 132 decibels for the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce in 2005. "It's incredible fanaticism, unique to Turkey," Ferguson said. "I know from past experience that when we have played Galatasaray and Fenerbahce the fans have started getting into the stadium at 12pm. It's amazing the emotion they have for their club."
Unlike The Guardian I'm not sure beating Liverpool is anything too amazing, and as I pointed out, they were beaten by Porto at home that same year. So their home record shouldn't be written up as fortress-like, even Bolton managed a draw their in the UEFA cup in 2005. And we haven't lost an away game in the Champions League since the Semi-Final against AC Milan in May 2007. Their keeper also tries to play on the atmosphere, saying of the fans:
"They are the noisiest, most passionate fans who stay with us for 90 minutes. The noise is incredible," he said.
"It'll be a new experience even for those players who think they've seen it all. Our fans can really make it hell."
The Manchester Evening News have a "key battles" feature, including the contest between Vidic and the "star man" of Besiktas - Nihat Kahveci:
Nihat is Besiktas' star man, back in Turkey after seven seasons in Spain. But his recent performances have been criticised and there are doubts over his fitness. In World Cup year, Vidic is eager to prove he is still one of Europe's best defenders and will expect to keep him quiet.Prediction. We should win this. 1-0 being my guess. A controlled away performance of the type we're used to. Sir Alex always says that 10 points is enough to qualify, which is three home wins plus an away draw - everything else is a bonus. So play carefully, not too gung-ho and assume that class will out, if we only manage a draw, it's still enough. And there's the important game against Man City on Sunday to consider as well. So let's conserve energy, keep the ball, quieten the crowd and get off to a good start in the competition.
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