Samsunspor vs Besiktas preview, team news and h2h: Black stars look to seal Conference league spot

16-time Super Lig winners Beşiktaş travel to the Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadyumu on Sunday looking to consolidate their grip on a Conference League qualification place, Afrik Foot reports.

However, they’ll be without Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who’s been ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Sergin Yalcin’s side have been in some good form of late, winning three of their last five games.

Match Preview: Samsunspor vs. Beşiktaş

Beşiktaş arrive in Samsun with momentum restored. Their most recent Super Lig results include a 2-0 win against Gençlerbirliği, a 2-1 win against Kasımpaşa and a 4-2 win against Antalyaspor, the latter confirming that Sergen Yalçın’s side remain capable of serious attacking output when the conditions are right.

Orkun Kökcü leads the Black Eagles’ scoring in the league with seven goals and seven assists, while Václav Cerny has contributed eight assists, the most of any Beşiktaş player this season.

The context is significant. Beşiktaş currently sit fourth in the Super Lig, occupying the Conference League qualifying position, and with the season entering its final weeks, every point matters directly for European football next season.

With six games remaining, they are 11 points behind Trabzonspor and Fenerbahçe, while Göztepe are close behind them in the table. A slip-up could prove costly.

Samsunspor are competing for the same territory. The home side are in contention for UEFA Conference League qualification themselves, making Sunday’s fixture a direct six-pointer between two sides with identical European ambitions.

A win for the hosts would apply significant pressure on Beşiktaş’s top-five standing, while a Beşiktaş victory could begin to open a meaningful gap between the clubs.

Head to Head: Samsunspor vs. Beşiktaş

The sides have met on 67 previous occasions. Beşiktaş have dominated the fixture with 38 wins, while 18 have ended in draws, and Samsunspor have won the remaining 11.

The most recent encounters have been tight. The reverse fixture at the Tüpraş Stadyumu in November 2025 ended goalless. In their last 13 meetings across all seasons, Beşiktaş have won seven times.

The Black Eagles’ historical superiority is clear, but the competitive nature of recent meetings between these sides suggests the margin in Sunday’s fixture will be narrow.

Team News

Beşiktaş

The headline concern is Wilfred Ndidi. Reports from Turkey indicate the Nigerian international will spend approximately two weeks on the sidelines following the hamstring injury sustained in the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe, putting his availability for the Samsunspor fixture on 19 April in serious doubt.

His absence is expected to be felt as the club navigates a demanding period in the fixture calendar, with his physical presence and defensive discipline playing a central role in the team’s midfield stability.

Salih Uçan is the likely candidate to fill the void in the holding midfield role, with Kartal Yılmaz an alternative option in the double pivot. Kökcü and Cerny will look to provide the creativity from deeper positions in the absence of Ndidi’s platform.

Hyeon-gyu Oh was in fine form in the win over Antalyaspor, scoring twice, and is expected to lead the attack.

El Bilal Touré and Jota Silva provide further options in the forward line, while Cengiz Ünder brings experience from wide areas.

Predicted Beşiktaş XI (4-2-3-1): Destanoğlu; Murillo, Agbadou, Uduokhai, Yılmaz; Kartal Yılmaz, Kökçü; Cerny, Olaitan, Ünder; Oh.

Samsunspor

Samsunspor have been in strong form heading into this fixture. They are competing directly with Beşiktaş for Conference League qualification and will have taken encouragement from their performances in recent weeks.

Their squad is largely intact, with no major new injury concerns confirmed ahead of the trip to face Beşiktaş away from home.

Antoine Makoumbou is expected to pull the strings in midfield, while their forward line will look to exploit any vulnerability left by the absence of Ndidi in the Beşiktaş engine room.

Predicted Samsunspor XI (4-3-3): Koçuk; Mendes, Cift, van Drongelen, Tómasson; Makoumbou, Ndiaye, Ntcham; Kilinc, Mouandilmadji, Kayan.

The Managers

Sergen Yalçın has steadied Beşiktaş after a turbulent period earlier in the season, and back-to-back wins over Gençlerbirliği and Kasımpaşa before the Antalyaspor victory have given the Black Eagles the platform to push for European football.

His priority heading into Samsun will be finding a midfield solution that preserves the defensive structure Ndidi has provided, no easy task given the absence of a natural replacement of a similar profile.

Yalçın’s pragmatism in big matches will be tested by a home side with genuine quality and equal motivation.

Samsunspor’s manager will enter this fixture with considerable belief, knowing that a home win would have an immediate impact on the European qualification picture.

Their side’s recent form gives them grounds for optimism, and the compact structure of the Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadyumu tends to favour a well-organised home side capable of pressing and exploiting transitions.

Tactical Preview

Beşiktaş will set up in a 4-2-3-1, with the holding midfield position being the key question in Yalçın’s selection.

Without Ndidi anchoring the unit, the team must rely on Uçan’s technical reliability and Kartal Yılmaz’s energy to provide the defensive cover that has been central to their best results this season.

The risk of being exposed on the counter, something that disciplined, transition-minded opponents have exploited in recent weeks, is higher in Ndidi’s absence.

Cerny and Kökcü remain Beşiktaş’s most dangerous attacking outlets. Cerny’s directness down the left channel and Kökcü’s ability to arrive late into the box from central positions give the visitors a consistent threat that Samsunspor’s defensive organisation will need to manage carefully.

Samsunspor will look to press high from the first whistle, aware that Beşiktaş’s midfield structure is more vulnerable than usual.

Their ability to win the ball in dangerous areas and transition quickly will be the primary tactical weapon at their disposal. If they can force errors from Beşiktaş’s makeshift pivot, the reward could be decisive in the battle for fourth place.