Pressure mounts on Ole Gunnar Solskjær after Beşiktaş suffer defeat to Shakhtar
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s future as head coach of Beşiktaş hangs in the balance following a disappointing 2-4 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.
According to Turkish sources Sozcu Spor and Ajanshaber 1903, key figures within the club's board convened for urgent talks in the aftermath of the loss. The consensus among some directors is that the squad, despite some shortcomings, is strong enough to compete — and the blame lies squarely on the manager’s shoulders.
The pressure is building for an immediate change, with demands emerging for the return of former coach Sergen Yalçın to take over the reins. Meanwhile, Nuri Şahin is also being seriously considered by Beşiktaş executives, sources report.
Insiders suggest Solskjær has now “exhausted all credit” after what was seen as a tactical and motivational failure in the defeat to Shakhtar. A poor result in the second leg could spell the end of his short tenure in Istanbul.
The return leg is scheduled to take place in Kraków on July 31, with Beşiktaş needing a strong response to keep their European dreams alive — and perhaps save their manager’s job.
