Istanbul: Besiktas faced a challenging defeat at home against RAMS Basaksehir in the 31st week of the Trendyol Super League, losing 2-0. The black-and-whites were unable to break their unfavorable streak in this week’s matchup, as reported by APA citing Turkish media.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Besiktas’s head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made strategic changes to the starting lineup, opting for three alterations from their previous match where they drew 1-1 with Kasimpasa. Joao Mario and Ciro Immobile, who played in the Kasimpasa match, were moved to the bench. Emirhan Top§u, who sustained an injury in the same match, was excluded from the squad. Solskjaer brought in Salih U§an, Milot Rashica, and Mustafa Hekimoglu to fill these gaps. In light of several injuries and suspensions affecting the team, Solskjaer also positioned Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right side of the defense.
Besiktas faced additional challenges in their defensive lineup as Solskjaer assigned English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to the right back position. With limited defensive options, Jonas Svensson, typically a right back, was placed as a center back against Basaksehir. This strategic maneuvering highlights the ongoing difficulties Besiktas encounters due to player availability concerns.