"Leave Salah to me": Besiktas defender issues a fiery challenge ahead of Trabzonspor

The Pharaoh facing one man

Beşiktaş defender Emirhan Topçu has raised the stakes ahead of the eagerly awaited clash against Trabzonspor. The Turkey international has pledged to take on the job of marking Egypt's Mohamed Salah, a vow that lays bare just how big a gamble it is to try and shackle the opposition forward.

Trabzonspor host Beşiktaş this evening in the eighth round of the Turkish Süper Lig, a head-to-head between two sides separated by just two points. That gap gives the match added weight in the race for the top places.

Fifth-placed Trabzonspor have 13 points, with Beşiktaş a place and two points above them. The hosts will look to feed off their crowd and take the win, while the visitors want to stretch the gap over their rivals and climb the table.

Turkish newspaper Sabah report that Topçu is confident he can snuff out the threat of Salah, who has been in striking form in a Trabzonspor shirt. The forward has scored seven goals and provided three assists in his first seven matches this season across all competitions.

According to the same paper, the Beşiktaş defender told his teammates before the big clash: "Leave Mohamed Salah to me."