Italiano confirms Trossard will miss Marseille clash

Beşiktaş will host French side Olympique Marseille on Thursday in the opening round of the UEFA Europa League league phase. Ahead of the match, coach Vincenzo Italiano and right-back Amir Murillo took part in a press conference at the BJK Nevzat Demir Facilities. The Italian coach stressed the importance of the fixture for both the team and the supporters.

In a notable update, Italiano addressed the fitness situation of star forward Leandro Trossard. The Belgian international will not be included in the squad for the Marseille game due to discomfort he has been feeling, the coach revealed. Italiano said the club is closely monitoring the player's condition but chose not to take any risks with him at this stage. The news came as significant pre-match information for Beşiktaş supporters.

The 48-year-old manager pointed to the quality of the opposition, saying his side needs to perform even better than in recent matches. He also praised Marseille's experienced coach Bruno Genesio as a highly respected figure in European football, adding that competing in Europe remains a tough challenge for his team. Italiano reiterated the club's ambition to finish the league phase in the top eight, ideally within the top four, recalling that Beşiktaş had to overcome three demanding qualifying rounds just to reach this stage.

Italiano also spoke highly of Amir Murillo, describing the Panamanian defender as a mature and valuable player for the club. He noted that since meeting Murillo after the World Cup, the player has always behaved professionally and listened to his instructions, adding that he feels fortunate to work with such players. The coach also thanked the fans, saying their passion continually drives the team forward and referring to them as the club's twelfth man.