On Thursday, Besiktas will host Hradec Kralove at Besiktas Park in Istanbul for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie, holding a narrow 1-0 lead from last week's encounter in the Czech Republic. The victorious team will progress to the playoff round, bringing them closer to a spot in the Europa League group stage, while the losing side will drop down to Conference League qualifying. Besiktas enters this match in high spirits after Semih Kilicsoy's late goal in the 80th minute secured a slim win at FINEP Arena last week. Vincenzo Italiano's squad had to finish the match with 10 players due to Kassoum Ouattara's red card in the 71st minute, but they managed to maintain a clean sheet and retain their first-leg advantage. This result has reinforced Besiktas' strong defensive performance in European qualifying, as they have not conceded a goal in their three matches this season. Previously, they eliminated Danish team Midtjylland with a 3-0 aggregate score, winning both legs without letting in a goal. Another clean sheet on Thursday would solidify their control over the tie. Additionally, playing at home gives Besiktas an edge, having previously defeated Midtjylland 1-0 in the last round. With the Turkish Super Lig season not starting until August 14, Italiano can fully concentrate on securing their European progression. On the other hand, Hradec Kralove will be disappointed that they did not capitalize on their chances in the first leg. The Czech team had nine shots on target and created four significant opportunities but failed to score against Alexander Nubel, who made eight crucial saves to keep Besiktas in front.