Celtic–Besiktas: Three Africans expected in this European clash

Wilfred Ndidi, Emmanuel Agbadou and Junior Olaitan are expected to start for the Turkish club

Europe Today at 05:30

Add Foot Africa on Google

Celtic–Besiktas: Three Africans expected in this European clash

05.11.26 15:00 Europa League

Celtic

Besiktas

Three African players could be at the heart of Beşiktaş’s trip to Celtic. Nigerian Wilfred Ndidi, Ivorian Emmanuel Agbadou and Beninese Junior Olaïtan are expected to be named in the starting XI for this fourth Europa League matchday. Two of them had already played a decisive role in the thrilling 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.

Ndidi and Olaïtan already decisive against Crystal Palace

On October 22, Wilfred Ndidi opened the scoring against the English side with his first goal of the season. It was also his first European goal for Beşiktaş since February 2022, when he scored against Randers. Junior Olaïtan then stole the spotlight.

🚨🎥 𝗭𝗢𝗢𝗠 sur la superbe entrée en jeu de Junior Olaitan 🇧🇯 avec Beşiktaş en Europa League ! Entré en cours de jeu face à Crystal Palace (pour un match bouillant conclu sur un score de 2-2), l’international béninois a fait parler toute sa classe en surgissant à la 73e minute pour arracher l’égalisation. Un moment fort pour notre milieu offensif : il inscrit ainsi son premier but de la saison, mais surtout son tout premier but de sa carrière en Coupe d’Europe ! Une entrée décisive, récompensée par une belle note de 8.0 et un impact immédiat sur le terrain.💪🏾
— Joueurs Béninois 🇧🇯 (@JoueursBJ) October 24, 2026

Coming on as a substitute, the Benin international equalised in the 73rd minute with a superb shot across goal from outside the box. After beating two opponents, he earned the Istanbul side a point. The Beninese player had then recorded four goal contributions in the Europa League, including three assists that put him top of the competition’s assist charts.

Agbadou expected to shore up the defence

Emmanuel Agbadou is also expected to start against Celtic. The Ivorian defender is tipped to play in the centre of defence, where he could bring physical strength and an imposing presence in duels. His partnership with Djalo will be important in containing Celtic’s attacks. Ndidi, meanwhile, is expected to provide balance in midfield, while Olaïtan could offer creativity and the ability to make a difference in the final third.

📋 Celtic maçı kamp kadromuz. https://t.co/CvrvrwJYNI
— Beşiktaş JK (@Besiktas) November 4, 2026

The Turkish club travels to Glasgow aiming to take all three points and stay in the Europa League top eight. The expected presence of these three African internationals is an asset for Vincenzo Italiano. After their performances against Crystal Palace, Ndidi and Olaïtan will have the opportunity to confirm their influence on Beşiktaş’s attacking play. Agbadou, meanwhile, will be looking to help shore up the team’s defence. Kick-off in Celtic–Beşiktaş is scheduled for Thursday at 20:00 GMT.

This article follows our newsroom’s editorial standards. To learn more about how we create and fact-check our content, see our Editorial Policy .