Besiktas coach Vincenzo Italiano said the team is ready to face Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League and that they are keen to field a team that reflects Besiktas’ identity.
Speaking at a press conference before the black-and-white Midtjylland match, the Italian coach said that the pre-season camp began with a lack of squad due to national team players.
“I would like us to work in full force from day one”
Stating that they have been working with young players in preparation, Italiano said: “We started the pre-season camp with a lot of young players. Some players joined late due to the international preparation process. I wish we could work with a full squad from day one. We have been working with a full squad for the last 10 days and have been very productive in the process. I believe our players will deliver what we want on the field.” – he said.
“Travel to Europe is exciting”
Stating that the European Cup always brings a different level of excitement, the veteran coach said: “The journey to Europe is exciting. At the same time, you meet the real level of football. We are all ready and willing to continue our journey in Europe. No matter what organization it is, our main goal is to win tomorrow. Of course, we know the importance of the league.” – he said.
“Our fans will be an important force for this team.”
Stating that he was happy to play his first official match, Italiano stressed the importance of the fans’ support and said: “Tomorrow we will play our first official match. We will play in front of our fans in a pleasant atmosphere. Our fans will be an important force for this team. Since this is our first official match, we have aspects that we need to improve, but we want to show what we have worked on on the field.” – he said.
“Turkish League is not easy”
Recalling that he previously played against Basaksehir and Sivasspor in Turkey, as well as a friendly match against Galatasaray, Italiano noted the level of difficulty of the Trendyol Super League and said: “The Turkish League is not an easy game. You need to be 100 percent ready for every match.” gave his assessment.
“Our main playing order is a four-man defense.”
Talking about the playing system, the Italian coach stated that during the preparation period they mainly worked on a four-man defense and said: “I also played against a 4-2-3-1 system and used that system as well. We will play with one and sometimes double front libero in the center of the field. We will make changes depending on the opponent. Our main playing formation will be a four-man defense.” – he said.
“We want to create the identity of Besiktas”
Stating that they are looking to create a gaming approach that is unique to Besiktas, Italiano said: “We want to create Besiktas’ identity.” We strive to create a team that knows what to do on the field and executes its plan. We built our strategy on this.” – he said.
“Ilhan Fakili surprised me”
Stating that he had the opportunity to work with many young infrastructure players in the training camp, the Italian coach noted that he was impressed by some of the names.
Speaking specifically about the performance of young footballer Ilhan Fakily, Italiano said: “Ilhan Fakily surprised me. He is a very high quality player. He scored two goals in friendlies and showed how tough he is in the box. He needs to improve his game off the ball, be tougher and more combative. He is a player who is open to development and I believe he will make an important contribution for us in the future.” gave his assessment.
“The transfer period continues and new players will join our team.”
Stating that he is satisfied with the working environment he sees at the club, Italiano said: “Since I came here, I have ideal conditions. Everyone is working with great dedication for the success of Besiktas. We have very good conditions. My positive feelings from the first day continue. We talked about some problems among ourselves at the beginning of the season, but they will remain with us. I believe that we will do a good job. The transfer period continues and new players will join our team.” – he said.
“There are no easy matches in Europe”
Drawing attention to Midtjylland’s physical strength, Italiano emphasized that no match in European competition is easy and said: “Northern European teams are physically strong teams that apply good pressure. There are no easy matches in Europe. As a team, we prepared well for our opponent. We had little time to train the whole team, but I don’t see any excuse for that. We analyzed Midtjylland well and will be ready tomorrow.” – he said.