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UCL week 6: RB Leipzig – Beşiktaş

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Updated: December 6, 2017

Having already ensured themselves first place and qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League, the final matchday away at Leipzig will prove to be just a footnote in Beşiktaş’ solid group stage campaign.

Şenol Güneş decided to leave several key players out of the squad because Beşiktaş now have to concentrate on the league. Pepe, Quaresma, Gökhan Gönül, Tolgay Arslan, Atiba Hutchinson and Ryan Babel were all omitted from the matchday squad. Álvaro Negredo, Gary Medel and Jeremain Lens are set to make their first Champions League starts for the Black Eagles.

Despite having already qualified as guaranteed group leaders, Beşiktaş still have a bit of history to play for. Should the Black Eagles secure atleast one point they will break two more Turkish records: becoming the first ever Turkish club to end a Champions League campaign undefeated and having the highest amount of total points in a single group stage campaign. Currently Beşiktaş share the current total point record with Fenerbahçe (11).

For Leipzig this will be a do or die match, they are already guaranteed to continue their European campaign past New Year but they will be playing their final hand tonight in an attempt to continue that campaign in the Champions League rather than the Europa League. In order to do so the German have to beat Beşiktaş (or draw if Porto loses against Monaco at home), but if Porto win at home they are out in the Europa League regardless of the end result.

For Beşiktaş there is only prize money, honour and two Turkish records at stake. While they may have left out several key players from their matchday squad, Beşiktaş are still capable of fielding a pretty formidable starting lineup.

RB Leipzig (GER) – Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
Location: Red Bull Arena
Referee: Viktor Kassai (HUN)
Date: Wednesday, December 6th
Time: 20:45 CET
Channel: Tivibu
Matchday 6

Beşiktaş predicted XI:

Fabricio Ramirez; Adriano Correia, Matej Mitrovic, Duško Tošić, Caner Erkin; Oğuzhan Özyakup, Gary Medel, Anderson Talisca; Jeremain Lens, Álvaro Negredo, Cenk Tosun (Orkan Cinar)

Kaan Bayazit
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Kaan Bayazit

Editor-in-chief at Beşiktaş International
Freelance sports writer specialized in Turkish football and Beşiktaş. Co-host of the Black Eagles podcast. Frequently featured in World Soccer Digest Japan and many other international media outlets. Following Turkish football for close to two decades. Proud father to Aedin.
Kaan Bayazit
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