Beşiktaş dare Israel's Maccabi to pull Europa plug amid venue row
A general view of the draw card of Besiktas JK during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase Draw at Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, Monaco, Aug. 30, 2024. (Getty Images Photo)


In the buildup to Beşiktaş's UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, rumors from Israeli media suggested the game, scheduled to be held in Istanbul, might be moved to a neutral venue.

However, Turkish Süper Lig powerhouse Beşiktaş did not take kindly to these claims, with the club's leadership responding sharply.

Beşiktaş’s Deputy Chair Hüseyin Yücel led the charge, dismissing the notion of playing on neutral ground.

"If they’re so afraid, they should withdraw from the tournament instead of avoiding Istanbul," Yücel said, hitting back at the Israeli media's speculation.

He accused the Israeli side of starting a lobbying campaign through the press, vowing that Beşiktaş would not back down.

Adding to Yücel's remarks, Beşiktaş Board Member Feyyaz Uçar reassured fans and dismissed the rumors as unfounded.

"The match will be played in Istanbul, as scheduled. Our government will ensure all necessary security measures. UEFA hasn't even considered this scenario in their algorithms, which suggests they trust our nation," Uçar stated, expressing confidence in both the Turkish government and UEFA.

Maccabi Tel Aviv also weighed in on the controversy.

A general view of the draw card of Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase Draw at Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, Monaco, Aug. 30, 2024. (Getty Images Photo)

Sagiv Jehezkel, who previously faced criticism and contract termination from Antalyaspor for supporting Israel’s occupation of Palestine, was asked about the possibility of playing in Istanbul.

His teammate, Osher Davida, responded: "Jehezkel will be happy to play in Istanbul. We’ll do what we need to do. I hope we’re treated properly, and I believe everything will go well."

Davida reflected on the Europa League draw, saying: "We saw the draw at the airport on Friday as we were heading back to Israel. We knew we’d be facing strong teams, and we’re excited about the challenge. We’re here to prove how good we are."

Maccabi Tel Aviv's head coach, Zarko Lazetic, acknowledged the tough draw in his comments.

"We’ve drawn difficult opponents, teams that belong in the Champions League. We’ll take it one step at a time, focusing first on our upcoming league matches. We have four games this month, with Braga next on our European journey, but our priority remains the league," Lazetic said, underlining the team's approach to the upcoming challenges.