Turkish giants Beşiktaş are set to begin their Europa League journey with a tough opening clash against Ajax at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday night.
Riding the momentum of a dramatic Süper Lig victory, the Black Eagles will look to ruffle Dutch feathers in Amsterdam.
Ajax, historically dominant in Europe, enters the fray on the back of a mixed Eredivisie start.
A 5-0 thrashing of Fortuna Sittard was followed by a disappointing draw with Go Ahead Eagles last weekend.
Despite their fifth-place Eredivisie finish last season – Ajax's lowest in over two decades – they secured a Europa League spot through grueling qualification rounds.
The Dutch side dispatched Vojvodina, Panathinaikos and Jagiellonia Bialystok to make it to UEFA's newly expanded 36-team phase.
For Beşiktaş, continental glory is now the aim under the watchful eye of head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a Champions League winner as a player with Barcelona.
His pedigree on the European stage was further enhanced by leading Rangers to the Europa League final in 2022.
The Black Eagles qualified for this season’s Europa League playoff after a sixth-place Süper Lig finish and by lifting the Turkish Cup.
They overcame Swiss outfit Lugano to earn their place in Europe’s second-tier competition.
Beşiktaş have been flying high this season, going eight matches unbeaten across all competitions, including a stunning 5-0 win over Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup.
However, Ajax will be no easy opponent.
The last time these two sides met, during the 2021-22 Champions League, the Dutch side won both encounters as part of a dominant group-stage run.
Key to Beşiktaş’s ambitions this season is Italian veteran striker Ciro Immobile, who arrived from Lazio over the summer.
The 34-year-old brings experience and firepower, having netted four times in last season’s Champions League.
The Black Eagles will also look to flank threats Joao Mario and Milot Rashica, both pivotal in their weekend win over Eyupspor, to cause Ajax problems.
Ajax, however, are not without their issues.
Last season's star playmaker Steven Berghuis remains sidelined due to an August injury, while midfielder Sivert Mannsverk and defender Gaston Avila are also unavailable due to ankle and knee injuries, respectively.
Beşiktaş too face defensive challenges with Necip Uysal ruled out until November with a ligament injury.
The Black Eagles will aim to make their mark on Dutch soil, knowing that a positive result could set the tone for a deep European run under Van Bronckhorst.