July 31 2026 Football News: Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe Advance in Europe

In the closing days of July, European cup return legs dominated the agenda for Süper Lig clubs. While Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe's European campaigns took shape with contrasting fortunes, friendly match performances and internal club statements rounded out the rest of the day's football news.

Beşiktaş Advance to the Third Qualifying Round of the Europa League

Beşiktaş defeated Danish side Midtjylland 2-0 away in the second qualifying round return leg of the UEFA Europa League, sealing a 3-0 aggregate win. The goals that secured the victory came from Rashica in the 70th minute and Orkun Kökçü from the penalty spot in the 76th minute. With this result, Beşiktaş's opponent in the third qualifying round has been confirmed as Czech side Hradec Kralove. Advancing without conceding away from home, the Black Eagles moved a step closer to their European ambitions for the new season.

Fenerbahçe Survive a Tough Away Test, Injury Concerns for Talisca and Semedo

Fenerbahçe drew 1-1 away against Górnik Zabrze in the second qualifying round return leg of the UEFA Champions League, advancing to the third qualifying round on a 2-1 aggregate score thanks to their 1-0 first-leg win. Speaking after the match, head coach İsmail Kartal admitted the team failed to play the football they wanted in the first half but showed a completely different Fenerbahçe after the break. Kartal stressed that while they knew they would progress, the lessons learned from the match mattered greatly. Regarding Talisca and Semedo, who were substituted due to injury, Kartal said there was no definitive information yet as both players were receiving ice treatment, with their status pending the medical team's report. The severity of these injuries will be closely monitored ahead of Fenerbahçe's upcoming Süper Lig preparations.

Başakşehir Eliminated from the Conference League

Not all the European news was positive. Başakşehir lost 2-0 away to Inter Turku of Finland in the second qualifying round return leg of the UEFA Conference League. Having drawn 1-1 at home in the first leg, the Istanbul side fell 3-1 on aggregate and bowed out of Europe. Inter Turku's goals came from Jasse Tuominen in the 18th minute and Clinton Jephta in the 47th minute, while the visitors' Janne-Pekka Laine was sent off in the 88th minute. Following the early exit, Başakşehir's management and coaching staff pledged to shift full focus to the domestic season.

Trabzonspor Fall to Al Sadd in Friendly

Continuing their training camp in Austria, Trabzonspor lost 1-0 to Qatari side Al Sadd in a friendly played at Anif Stadium in Salzburg. The lone goal of the match was scored from the penalty spot in the 35th minute by veteran Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino. The Black Sea club will play another preparation match against Italy's Udinese on August 2 as they continue preseason work. While preseason defeats rarely cause major alarm, the coaching staff's efforts to address squad gaps before the league kicks off will be closely watched.

Beşiktaş Management Sends a Squad-Planning Message

At Beşiktaş, football director Önder Özen commented on the club's squad-building approach for the new season. Özen stated that management would act with the foreign player quota, the under-23 rule, and domestic rotation all factored into decision-making. He added that after addressing the squad's primary shortcomings in this initial phase, further moves to strengthen the team are planned before August 15. The statement offered some clarity to fans eager for details on squad depth heading into the new campaign.

The final day of July brought mixed European results and fresh updates on preseason preparations across the league. While Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe found reason for optimism after advancing, Başakşehir's early exit left the club's fanbase disappointed. In the coming days, both the Europa League's third qualifying round draw and further friendly results are set to remain at the top of the agenda.

The agenda may change throughout the day; please follow official announcements.