Besiktas chief set to axe stars after Anfield mauling

BESIKTAS could axe some of their players after the Turkish side’s record 8-0 Champions League defeat by Liverpool, club president Yildirim Demiroren said yesterday.

“We may have to part ways with some of our players. Besiktas’ interests come above everything else,” Demiroren said.

“We will have our board of directors meeting on Monday and we will act according to their decision,” he said.

Besiktas beat Liverpool 2-1 in their last match in Istanbul but Tuesday’s defeat filled out a record of having won only once away from home in 10 Champions League ties.

Last month’s win over Liverpool was only Besiktas’s sixth victory in 21 Champions League games and their first at home for four years. They had already lost to Marseille and Porto this season.

Turkish newspapers showed pictures of Besiktas’ training staff with their heads in their hands. Critics were unforgiving.

“If only we had sent a second division team. At least we would have respected their innocence, their future and dreams, and we would have shared their disappointments,” said Attila Gokce at liberal daily Milliyet.