Last season Monaco were the neutral’s darling in the Champions League, a young and fearless attacking force who fired their way from the qualifiers to the semi-finals in thrilling style.
Now, they are a husk of that team, stripped of their best assets and facing an exit from all European competition before Christmas, following a draw in Wednesday’s earlier kick-off.
Monaco have only two point from four games and sit bottom of Group G, waiting on the result of Porto v RB Leipzig later to see if their top-two chances are slim or none.
Rony Lopes – making his first Champions League start of the season – gave Monaco a surprise lead away to Besiktas
Lopes ran at the defence, and curled a beautiful effort into the bottom corner of the net, leaving the keeper with little chance
However Besiktas equalised on 53 minutes from the penalty spot, with Cenk Tosun beating Danijel Subasic through power
MATCH FACTS, GOAL SCORERS AND MATCH ZONE
Besiktas (4-2-3-1): Fabri; Gonul, Pepe, Tosic (Medel 69), Adriano; Hutchinson (Talisca 83), Arslan (Mitrovic 75); Quaresma, Ozyakup, Babel; Tosun
Unused subs: Uysal, Zengin, Lens, Negredo
Goal: Tosun 53 pen
Bookings: Arslan 25, Tosic 65, Quaresma 88
Monaco (4-3-3): Subasic; Raggi, Glik, Jemerson, Jorge; Moutinho, Fabinho, Tielemans (Carrillo 75); Rony Lopes (Diakhaby 85), Balde, Lemar (Jovetic 26)
Unused subs: Benaglio, N’Doram, Toure, Boschilla
Goal: Rony Lopes 45+1
Bookings: Rony Lopes 27, Jorge 53
Rony Lopes fired Monaco ahead as the Ligue 1 champions capitalised on a Besiktas error 30 yards from the Turkish side’s goal. For more stats and facts, visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.
Besiktas meanwhile are close to a first ever appearance in the last 16, and will be certain of a spot should the Germans win in Portugal. They fell behind to Rony Lopes’s fine opener just before the break, but earned a deserved point through Cenk Tosun’s penalty.
Monaco began the stronger, Youri Tielemans seeing a header scooped out following a corner, as the Ligue 1 champions made most of the early running.
Semi-finalists in the Champions League and Ligue 1 winners ahead of PSG last season, Leonardo Jardim’s side are struggling to replicate that form, having sold Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko and others in the summer.
With one point from the opening three games, Monaco were realistically looking to to save their Champions League campaign in the hostile Vodafone Stadium in Turkey. Even third place and the Europa League consolation is becoming a stretch.
Besiktas came back into the game, Gokhan Gonul shooting wide from right after breaking through defence, before Monaco stunned the vocal home support by scoring the opener.
Monaco have struggled to replicate last season when they reached the semi finals, with one point from three European games
Besiktas were able to draw level when Monaco full back Jorge hacked down Ricardo Quaresma inside the penalty area
Subasic got a hand to Tosun’s kick, but was not able to keep it out as Besiktas chase a first appearance in the knockout stage
Tosun celebrates his goal by jumping and bumping with Ryan Babel as the Besiktas fans cheer in the background
They had suffered a setback with influential forward and long-term Arsenal target Thomas Lemar forced off injured in the first half, leaving one of the newer, less heralded names to take over.
Full back Adriano gave the ball away, and Rony Lopes – making his first Champions League start of season – ran at the defence, before he curled a beautiful effort into bottom corner from the edge of the D, leaving keeper Fabri with little chance.
Yet Besiktas did not have a perfect record going into this game for nothing. With three wins in three and having won 2-1 in the principality a fortnight ago, the last 16 is within their grasp, coming out of a low-key group.
Monaco forward and Arsenal target Thomas Lemar was forced off in the first half in a major blow for the Ligue 1 champions
Babel uses his trademark pace as he chases the ball under pressure from towering Monaco defender Kamil Glik
Monaco’s Youri Tielemans challenges Besiktas’ Tolgay Arslan for the ball during the Group G clash which kicked off earlier
Perhaps they were inspired by the spotting of Marouane Fellaini in Istanbul prior to game, leading to renewed speculation the big-haired Manchester United midfielder could switch to the Super Lig in January.
On 53 minutes, a penalty was given when full back Jorge dived in on Quaresma; it was a clear foul and an obvious spot kick. Cenk Tosun fired it in, despite Danijel Subasic getting a hand to the ball. He could only guide it into the top corner.
Besiktas had their tails up and should have regained the lead when Ryan Babel showed he still has the pace he possessed at Liverpool, going around Subasic on the edge of the area before being crowded out by defenders. He played the ball back to Quaresma, who fell over as he fired over.
Monaco had to respond, but looked largely toothless and a far cry from the entertaining, free-scoring side of 2016/17. Full back Andrea Raggi had a header booted off the line following a 75th minute corner – it was the closest they came to retaking the lead.
In stoppage time, as the game descended in to a desperate mess of fouls and bookings, Keita Balde found space in the area, but his low shot was tame and fallen on by Fabri. It summed up Monaco in Europe this season.