Beşiktaş's pressure and quick forward combinations meet a Palace side rebuilding part of its central support. The key contest comes before the visitors settle into their defensive shape. Recoveries near midfield and the next ball after a delivery should carry more weight than possession alone.
Olaitan has already turned recoveries into dangerous carries and passes, while Fakılı's delivery supplied Oh at Hoffenheim. That connection continued after Kökçü left injured, giving the home attack an executed route beyond its missing captain. Murillo adds another runner and has scored from worked restarts, an important detail against Palace's recent clearance problems.
Kökçü and Rashica remain absent, with Miretti identified by the coach as the functional midfield replacement. Vlahović returned to start against Trabzonspor, and Oh remains an available alternative. Palace's official update rules out Timber after his Brighton appearance, changing the passing support around Wharton; Henderson remains absent, with Benítez already used in goal. Chilwell's return supplies another option on the left.
I expect Beşiktaş to seek combinations and recoveries before Palace can organise their back line, then use their different forward options through the second half. Their recent attacking links fit the visitors' pressured exits and loose-ball defending closely enough to carry my decision. That's why I'm siding with Beşiktaş to win.
