In the 3rd week of the UEFA Europa League, Beşiktaş drew 2-2 with Premier League side Crystal Palace, the reigning UEFA Conference League champions. After the match, the black-and-white team's manager, Italiano, emphasized the importance of the point earned.
In his post-match assessment, Italiano said, "I think the important thing here was not to lose and to maintain this consistency. Earning 1 point was also important for us."
Addressing the busy match schedule and the risk of injury, the manager noted that there were necessities regarding the squad he fielded. Italiano stated, "We had to start with this 11 because there can be a risk of injury. Miretti was injured in this match, and Orkun was injured in last week's Hoffenheim match. It can be dangerous when you play matches in a short period of time. Today we got 1 point, and it was a very important point."
Stating that he finds Beşiktaş's performance in Europe positive, Italiano drew attention to the difficulty of the fixture. Reminding that Hoffenheim, whom the black-and-white team previously defeated, beat Lyon 3-0 this week, the manager said they have faced strong opponents like Crystal Palace and Marseille.
Regarding his rotation choice, Italiano added, "I made rotations today as well. I gave playing time to players who have had less time on the pitch. I think we have done a good job in Europe so far. We remain undefeated in Europe, and we need to continue this way."
News Source: 12punto
