Besiktas miss Nigerian pair Ndidi and Uduokhai for Europa League test at Midtjylland

Besiktas will attempt to protect a narrow UEFA Europa League qualifying lead at FC Midtjylland on Thursday without Nigerian duo Wilfred Ndidi and Felix Uduokhai.

Manager Vincenzo Italiano cannot call on either player for the second leg of the second qualifying round at MCH Arena, despite both having been named in the club’s squad for the Europa League qualifiers.

Ndidi, a key member of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, remains sidelined with an ankle ligament injury and has not recovered in time to be considered for selection.

Uduokhai, who previously represented Germany at youth level, has also been ruled out of the trip to Denmark after being suspended and therefore has not travelled with the team.

Besiktas hold a 1-0 aggregate advantage from last week’s first leg at Tupras Stadium and know that avoiding defeat will be enough to seal a place in the third qualifying round.

The Turkish side, nicknamed the Black and Whites, are aiming to complete the job away from home and continue their route towards the Europa League group stage.

If Italiano’s team advance, they will go on to face the winners of the tie between Hradec Kralove and Tromsø in the next round.

Midtjylland without Etim but Iheanacho in contention

Opponents FC Midtjylland have named a 23-man squad for Besiktas’s visit as they look to overturn the one-goal deficit on home soil.

Head coach Mike Tullberg has left out forward Friday Etim after the striker was sent off just 16 minutes into the first leg in Istanbul.

Etim’s dismissal has opened the door for another Nigerian attacker, with Stanley Iheanacho expected to be included in Midtjylland’s matchday squad for the return fixture.

The Danish club will be counting on home advantage at MCH Arena as they attempt to claw back Besiktas’s slim lead and keep their own Europa League campaign alive.