Champions League: Beşiktaş take on Monaco in Istanbul
Black Eagles look to advance early from Group G by beating French opponents
Istanbul club Besiktas will square off against French side Monaco in the pair’s UEFA Champions League Group G clash on Wednesday.
The match will start at 8 p.m. local time (GMT1700) in Istanbul's Vodafone Park.
Besiktas have won all of their three games in the group so far, accumulating nine points to top Group G.
A win tonight will clinch a last-16 spot for Besiktas, which would become the first Turkish team in the Champions League to win all of their first four games and advance.
The match has also a different significance for the Black Eagles -- they will be making their 200th appearance in European club competitions in the side’s 114-year history.
Besiktas won 76 of those matches, lost 81 and drew 42 times.
Striker Cenk Tosun is also on a mission for a club record. If he scores tonight, it will be his fifth goal for Besiktas in European club competitions, making him the top scorer in his club in that category.
On Tuesday evening, Besiktas manager Senol Gunes told reporters his players "acknowledged" that a win means advancing.
"We will be patient and see during the match where we will take risks," he said.
For Monaco, which was only able to accumulate one point so far, a win is the only option, according to manager Leonardo Jardim.
"We played a semi-final last year. I believe in my players. Three matches can change everything. Our only aim is to win," he said.
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