Liam Duckstein
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Kauno Zalgiris host Besiktas at Darius and Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League 2026/27 Playoffs tie. The Lithuanian side faces a mountain to climb after losing the first leg 3-0 in Turkey, and Vincenzo Italiano’s men arrive with a commanding aggregate lead. Besiktas have been one of the more convincing sides in this playoff round, so the question is not really whether they advance, but by how much.
Orkun Kökçü has been one of the standout performers across Besiktas’s recent run, contributing two goals in the last five matches while averaging high pass volumes and consistently influencing play in the final third. On the other side, Gabriel Debeljuh is the only Kauno Zalgiris player to register a goal across the last five games, making him the lone focal point of any attacking threat the home side can muster.
Hot stat: Besiktas registered 121 total shots across their last five matches compared to Kauno Zalgiris’s 22. That is nearly a 5.5-to-1 ratio in shot volume, which tells you everything about the gap in offensive output between these two sides.
| 🏆 Tournament: | UEFA Europa League 2026/27 – Playoffs |
| 🏟 Venue: | Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas |
| 🗓️ Date: | 27.08.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 CEST |
Kauno Zalgiris vs Besiktas Prediction
Besiktas to win and over 2.5 goals is the clearest path to value here. The Turkish side already put three past Kauno Zalgiris in the first leg without much resistance, and the aggregate scoreline means Zeljko Sopic’s team must attack from the opening whistle, which only opens more space for Besiktas to exploit on the counter.
Kauno Zalgiris have managed just one goal across their last five matches, and that came against Lithuanian domestic opposition. Their pass accuracy sits at a collective 364 out of 486 passes, and with only six interceptions over that span, the defensive shape has been porous. Besiktas, by contrast, recorded 59 interceptions and completed 3,132 of 3,518 passes, showing a team that controls games rather than reacts to them.
Kauno Zalgiris committed 32 fouls across their last five outings, which is low in volume but their 11 yellow cards suggest a pattern of cynical challenges rather than clean pressing. Besiktas picked up seven yellows and one red card, with 56 fouls, indicating an aggressive but structured approach. The visitors will not be rattled by the physical side of this game.
We predict Besiktas to win comfortably and cover the total goals line with relative ease given how open Kauno Zalgiris will need to play from the first whistle.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Besiktas to score in both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
Kauno Zalgiris arrive at this second leg off the back of a difficult run. In the last 30 days they won two, drew one, and lost three out of six matches. Their most recent game before the first leg was a 1-1 draw with Transinvest in Lithuanian league action, following a 2-0 home win over Hegelmann Litauen. The deeper concern is their two-legged Europa League qualifying clash with Dinamo Zagreb, where they were beaten 5-0 on aggregate, conceding seven goals across both matches. That sequence exposed the defensive frailty that Besiktas already took advantage of in the first leg.
Besiktas head into this match in strong form, winning five of their last six and dropping points only in a 0-1 loss to Alanyaspor, which came after the first leg victory over Kauno Zalgiris was already secured. Before that, they beat Eyupspor 1-0 and defeated Hradec Kralove 1-0 in both legs of their previous Europa League round. Vincenzo Italiano has his squad well-organized and rotating efficiently. The 3-0 first leg win was controlled from start to finish, and there is no reason to expect a different approach in the return fixture.
Most Recent Head-to-Head Matches
| Statistic | Kauno Zalgiris | Besiktas |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 3 |
🚨Check out our dedicated Kauno Zalgiris vs Besiktas stats page for more info.
Kauno Zalgiris. Source: Official Facebook
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Besiktas the Favourite
- Moneyline Kauno Zalgiris 7.64 | Besiktas 1.35
- Draw 4.84
- Over/Under Over 2.5 N/A | Under 2.5 N/A
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes N/A | No N/A
Besiktas at around 1.35 reflects the bookmakers’ 68% implied probability, which feels accurate given the aggregate lead and the quality gap between these sides. The draw at 4.84 and Kauno Zalgiris at 7.64 are largely academic given the tie is already decided in Besiktas’s favor. To be honest, the Besiktas win odds offer little value at this price, so the smarter angles are in the goals and corners markets where the volume of Besiktas’s attacking output gives a clearer edge.
Possible Starting Lineups
Kauno Zalgiris Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Tomas Švedkauskas
- DF: Marko Konatar, Joris Moutachy, Aldayr Hernandez, Nosa Iyobosa Edokpolor
- MF: Franco Baldassarra, Vykintas Slivka, Amine Benchaib, Anthony Kalik
- FW: Gabriel Debeljuh, Leon Krekovic
Sopic is likely to set up in a 4-2-3-1 or his preferred 4-1-4-1 shape. Tomas Švedkauskas takes the gloves given his appearance count. Franco Baldassarra and Vykintas Slivka anchor the midfield, though Baldassarra’s two yellow cards in five games are a concern. Gabriel Debeljuh leads the line as the only player with a goal to his name recently, and he will need to be sharp if Kauno Zalgiris are to make any kind of statement in this second leg.
Besiktas Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Alexander Nübel
- DF: Emirhan Topçu, Tiago Djaló, Ridvan Yilmaz, Amir Murillo
- MF: Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü, Junior Olaitan, Ilhan Fakili
- FW: Václav Černý, Oh Hyeon-gyu
Italiano looks set to continue with his 4-4-2 structure. Alexander Nübel in goal has been solid across six appearances and provides a commanding presence. Orkun Kökçü is the creative engine in midfield with two goals and the highest pass volume of any outfield player. Amir Murillo has also chipped in with two goals from right back, making him a genuine threat from deep runs. Oh Hyeon-gyu leads the line alongside Václav Černý, with the South Korean forward registering two goals and 20 shots in five outings.
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Besiktas. Source: Official Facebook
TipsGG Match Prediction
Besiktas should advance without much drama. The first leg result already tells the story, and the underlying stats across five matches back it up completely. Kauno Zalgiris have managed just one goal in their last five competitive games, and their defensive record against higher-rated opposition has been poor throughout the summer, conceding seven to Dinamo Zagreb and three to Besiktas without reply.
Besiktas’s 52 corners, 59 interceptions, and 121 shots over five games paint a picture of a team that presses high, wins the ball back quickly, and creates in volume. With Kauno Zalgiris forced to push forward to chase the aggregate deficit, Italiano’s side will have space to work with. We predict a Besiktas win, over 2.5 goals, and Besiktas to score in both halves as our strongest selections for this match.
