Beşiktaş head into Celtic Vs Beşiktaş with a clear selection update: Vincenzo Italiano said Orkun Kökçü will begin on the bench, but the plan is to use him in the match.
During the pre-match press conference, Italiano said Beşiktaş were without Miretti and Orkun a few days before the Celtic match, but the staff now expect Orkun to be involved. "Orkun yedekte olacak, süre almasını planlıyoruz. Yarın umarım planlarımız yolunda gider ve Orkun da işe dahil olur. Miretti'yi de kısa sürede bekliyoruz," he said.
The Beşiktaş coach also made it clear the challenge will be significant. Italiano said Celtic's quality means his team must respond with the same level of intensity. "Güçlü oyunlarına karşı güçlü oynamalıyız, aynı motivasyonla oynamalıyız. Yarın işimiz gerçekten zor," he said.
What the decision means for Beşiktaş
For Beşiktaş, the main takeaway is that Orkun Kökçü is available as an option, even if he is not ready to start. That gives Italiano another midfield choice against a Celtic side that the coach clearly views as a difficult opponent. Italiano also noted that Beşiktaş's only European defeat so far came in the Zalgiris rematch, a reminder that details have mattered in this campaign.
The timing matters because Beşiktaş are trying to manage their lineup carefully before a major European match. Getting Orkun on the pitch, even from the bench, could give the team more control as the game develops.
Oh looking ahead to Celtic
Hyeon-gyu Oh also added a personal angle to the build-up. He said he had been waiting about two months for the match and described Celtic as feeling like a second home to him. Asked what it would mean to score, he said: "Yarın gol atarsam ne olacağını bilemiyorum. Belki ağlayabilirim bile" and added that he would be happy because he is a Beşiktaş player and gives everything for the club.
That gives Celtic Vs Beşiktaş an added layer beyond the team news. Beşiktaş are preparing for an important European test, Orkun Kökçü is expected to get minutes, and Oh is facing a club that still clearly means a lot to him.
