Besiktas eliminated from UEFA Europa League following a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk
In the ongoing 2025-26 season, Turkish football club Besiktas began their campaign with two challenging matches against Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Europa League. Unfortunately, the Istanbul-based team was eliminated from the competition following a 2-0 defeat, extending Shakhtar Donetsk's unbeaten record against Turkish clubs to 10 matches.
The encounter saw Shakhtar Donetsk take a 2-0 lead into halftime, with goals from Kevin (12th minute) and Elias (45+2). Despite a substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on Demir Ege Tiknaz for Amir Hadziahmetovic, Besiktas were unable to mount a comeback.
This defeat marked another setback in Besiktas's European campaign, as they have struggled to keep clean sheets in recent years. Over the past three seasons, the team has managed only four clean sheets in 24 matches, conceding 44 goals while scoring 41.
In the 2023-24 season, Besiktas kept clean sheets against KF Tirana, Dinamo Kiev, and Lugano, and in the 2024-25 season, against Olympique Lyon. However, these successes have been few and far between, with the team often finding themselves on the losing end of close matches.
This has not gone unnoticed by Besiktas's fans, who have been vocal in their criticism of the team's performance in Europe. Despite these challenges, Besiktas will continue their European campaign in the UEFA Conference League, where they will face Ireland's St. Patrick's in the playoff for a spot in the group stage.
St. Patrick's, meanwhile, have been making waves in the competition, reaching the playoff round by eliminating Lithuania's Hegelmann Litauen and Estonia's Kalju. With both teams eager to secure a place in the group stage, the upcoming match promises to be an exciting one.
As for Shakhtar Donetsk, their impressive record against Turkish clubs continues to grow, with nine wins and one draw in 10 UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches against Fenerbahce, Basaksehir, Konyaspor, Sivasspor, and now Besiktas.
In the broader context, Besiktas has participated in UEFA competitions over recent seasons, facing teams like Panathinaikos, Porto, and others in qualifying and group rounds. However, detailed match results or clean sheet numbers aren't explicitly provided in the search results. For a comprehensive assessment of Besiktas’s European performance and clean sheet record during the last three seasons, consulting UEFA official statistics, Besiktas’s club reports, or full databases such as UEFA.com or football statistics platforms like Transfermarkt or Opta would be necessary.
- In the upcoming UEFA Conference League, Besiktas will aim to improve their disappointing clean sheet record, having managed only four clean sheets in their last 24 European matches.
- Shakhtar Donetsk's impressive record against Turkish clubs extends to their recent 2-0 victory against Besiktas, marking their 10th unbeaten match against Turkish opponents in UEFA competitions.
- St. Patrick's, having eliminated Hegelmann Litauen and Kalju in the qualifying rounds, will face a challenging encounter against Besiktas, with both teams seeking a spot in the group stage of the European-leagues.
