Beşiktaş stormed into the 2024-25 season with a thunderous 5-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Super Cup, but the euphoria quickly turned into frustration as the club stumbled across all three competitions it entered, ending the campaign with little more than regrets.
The early signs were promising.
The Black Eagles closed their Süper Lig season with a commanding 4-0 win over Bodrum FK, but that strong finish couldn't mask a season plagued by inconsistency and chaos.
Despite the bright start, Beşiktaş's momentum fizzled out after the tenth week, following a derby loss to Galatasaray that effectively marked the end of their title ambitions.
In the Trendyol Süper Lig, Beşiktaş played 36 matches, earning 17 wins, 11 draws and eight losses.
Their 62-point haul was only good enough for a fourth-place finish, two points behind Samsunspor.
In Europe, the club couldn’t find its rhythm. Entering the UEFA Europa League through the playoffs, Beşiktaş fell short in the group stage and bowed out in January, finishing 28th on goal difference.
In domestic cup action, Beşiktaş showed early promise in the Turkish Cup, topping their group with three straight wins. However, the quarterfinals brought heartbreak as Göztepe knocked them out, ending their hopes of lifting silverware on that front.
The season’s only silver lining remained the emphatic Super Cup triumph over Galatasaray, a result that once seemed to signal a new era.
Yet Beşiktaş could only hold the Süper Lig’s top spot for the opening two weeks.
After their derby defeat to Galatasaray in week 10, the club spiraled, eventually finishing 33 points behind the champions and 22 behind second-place Fenerbahçe.
Despite the overall disappointment, Beşiktaş managed a respectable showing in derbies.
They defeated Fenerbahçe twice, both by 1-0 scorelines. Although they lost 2-1 to Galatasaray at RAMS Park, they returned the favor at Tüpraş Stadium in the second half of the season, handing their fierce rivals their only loss.
Against Trabzonspor, Beşiktaş drew 1-1 away and won 2-1 at home.
Off the pitch, turmoil reigned. In a season riddled with instability, former club president Hasan Arat oversaw a turbulent period beginning in October 2024.
A string of poor results and internal resignations led to Arat’s departure and a snap election on December 3. Serdal Adalı and interim president Hüseyin Yücel faced off in the December 29 extraordinary congress, with Adalı emerging victorious.
He was re-elected in May for a three-year term.
Coaching instability also added to the club’s woes. Beşiktaş began the season under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but the Dutchman lasted just 20 matches before being dismissed.
Club legend Serdar Topraktepe took over in an interim role until the club appointed Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Jan. 19, 2025, in hopes of steadying the ship.
Looking ahead, Beşiktaş will begin next season’s UEFA Europa League campaign from the second qualifying round. Should they advance, they'll face two more hurdles – the third qualifying round and the play-offs – to reach the group stage.
Failure at any stage could see them drop into the UEFA Conference League, or crash out of Europe entirely if eliminated before the play-offs.
