Besiktas’ New Era: Six Wins, Six Clean Sheets, One Wall

Vincenzo Italiano has not eased his way into Istanbul. He has kicked the door down.

Besiktas’ 3-0 first-leg victory over FK Kauno Zalgiris in the Europa League play-offs didn’t just put them on the brink of the league phase of the 2026/27 competition. It underlined a brutal early truth of this new project: they are already playing like a team that expects to be there.

The Lithuanian side were blown away inside 12 minutes.

In the 6th minute, Hyeon-Gyu Oh pounced to open the scoring, settling any nerves before they had time to form. Six minutes later, Michael Amir Murillo arrived to double the lead, turning the night into a procession. When Orkun Kökcü swept in the third on 59 minutes, the tie felt close to done before the second leg has even come into focus.

Yet the story of Besiktas’ season so far is not the scorers. It is the man who keeps watching the goals from 90 yards away.

Nübel the “Wall”

Against the club from Kaunas, Alexander Nübel made his sixth competitive appearance for his new team. He also recorded his sixth clean sheet. Six games played, zero goals conceded.

The Turkish press have not held back. Daily newspaper Hürriyet hailed him with a simple line that has already started to stick: “Nübel is a wall – he does not concede any goals.” They added that he has “caused a stir with his performances in the black-and-white shirt.”

This is the version of Nübel Bayern Munich never truly saw. Under contract there from 2020 to 2026, he managed only four competitive appearances for the German record champions. His loan spell at Stuttgart restored his reputation; Besiktas have now turned that resurgence into a defensive platform.

The numbers speak clearly. Six wins from six under Italiano. Not a single goal allowed.

Heavy Investment, Immediate Return

None of this is happening by accident. Besiktas have backed their new coach aggressively in the market and expect a return worthy of the outlay.

Club officials have already spent just under €67 million on new players. Nübel arrived permanently from Bayern Munich in July for just under €6 million, a deal that already looks shrewd given his impact and age profile.

Kökcü, initially on loan from Benfica, has been tied down on a permanent basis for €30 million, a statement signing through the middle of the pitch. The club also pounced on a free transfer for Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus, an eye-catching move that would have been unthinkable for Besiktas not long ago. To round out the attacking upgrade, Leandro Trossard joined from Arsenal for €18 million, adding Premier League-hardened craft and experience.

These are not speculative punts. They are players expected to drag Besiktas up a level, in Europe and at home.

One Shadow on a Perfect Start

Even on a night that seemed to go entirely to script, there was a jolt. Trossard suffered an injury during the win over Zalgiris and had to leave the pitch early, a worrying note for a side that will lean heavily on his creativity and versatility as the season wears on.

The schedule offers no time for reflection. Before they host Kauno Zalgiris for the second leg next Thursday, Besiktas travel to Alanyaspor on matchday two of the Süper Lig. Six wins, six clean sheets and a squad rebuilt at significant cost have set the tone.

Now comes the real question: can Italiano’s Besiktas turn this blistering start into a season that finally matches the scale of their ambition?