Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure as Besiktas coach began spectacularly as his team secured a convincing 4-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League on Wednesday.
This win propelled Besiktas from outside the top 24 in the standings into a position to qualify for the knockout rounds, thanks to an impressive second-half performance.
Solskjaer, returning to the managerial scene after his dismissal from Manchester United in November 2021, emphasized the importance of confidence in his post-match comments. “Since we started working with the players, we’ve worked on confidence,” he stated. “Football is about feeling good. We got everything we wanted tonight. We worked together as a team. It’s easier to win when you work hard and work smart.”
Despite the loss, Athletic Bilbao, who had been unbeaten until this match, remain in second place in their group, tied on points with leaders Lazio.
The match saw Besiktas take an early lead through Milot Rashica’s excellent finish in the 17th minute. Bilbao managed to equalize just before halftime with a goal from Unai Gomez. However, Rashica struck again in the 60th minute to restore Besiktas’ lead. Late goals from Rafa Silva and Joao Mario’s penalty in injury time sealed the comprehensive victory.
Solskjaer was officially appointed as Besiktas’ permanent coach just the previous weekend, succeeding Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was sacked at the end of November.
