Amir Murillo returned to face Marseille with a familiar name on the teamsheet and a decisive moment waiting under the Besiktas lights. The Panama international headed home against his former club on Thursday night, helping the Turkish side move clear in their Europa League opener.
The move
Murillo scored Besiktas’ third goal in a 3-1 win over Marseille on the opening matchday of the Europa League league phase. The 30-year-old right-back met captain Orkun Kökçü’s corner with a header in the 59th minute, restoring Besiktas’ two-goal advantage.
It was a painful reunion for Marseille, where Murillo spent two and a half years before leaving in February for a reported €5 million fee. The defender had spoken before the match of his pleasure at seeing former team-mates again, while recognising that he would be meeting them as an opponent.
The French season around it
Marseille had briefly found their way back into the contest during the first half through Keyliane Abdallah. The young forward equalised for OM before Besiktas pulled away after the break.
- Amir Murillo — former Marseille defender, now at Besiktas
- Orkun Kökçü — Besiktas captain who supplied the corner for Murillo’s goal
- Keyliane Abdallah — Marseille youngster who scored OM’s first-half equaliser
For Murillo, the night carried the sharp edge of a former club encounter: two and a half seasons in Marseille, then a February departure, followed by a European goal that pushed Besiktas to a 3-1 victory over OM.
