Besiktas moving home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv to 'neutral country'

The Europa League match between Besiktas and Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv scheduled for 28 November in Istanbul will be played "in a neutral country", the Turkish club announced on Monday.

"Negotiations are continuing between our club and Uefa regarding the country where the match will be played," Besiktas said in a statement.

The meeting between the two clubs was considered high-risk, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stepping up his verbal attacks on Israeli leaders since the start of the war in Gaza.

Malmö maçı hazırlıklarına başladık. 🦅#BJKvMFF pic.twitter.com/3QNVWQFDFM

— Beşiktaş JK (@Besiktas) November 3, 2024

Anti-Israel demonstrations, encouraged by the Turkish government, have been taking place across the country for more than a year.

Last year, Israel advised its nationals and diplomats in Turkey to leave the country.