Former Manchester United man labelled ‘always injured’ as his side lose 5-0

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Besiktas coach Riza Calimbay was left ruing Eric Bailly’s latest injury issue as the former Manchester United defender missed Thursday’s 5-0 Europa League hammering at the hands of Club Brugge.

As the Belgian giants ran riot in Istanbul, how Calimbay could have done with his marquee summer signing to shore up a defence which about as much resilience as a paper cup in a monsoon.

Eric Bailly, signed on a free transfer from Premier League powerhouses Manchester United back in September, was missing yet again when Club Brugge came to town. That, in truth, has been the story of his Besiktas career thus far.

After recovering from shoulder and neck issues, it was a hamstring injury which saw Bailly return to the familiar surroundings of the treatment table, a Besiktas backline lacking their highly-experienced Ivory Coast international left humiliated by a rampant Brugge attack.

Eric Bailly injured again

“There are so many shortcomings, and all of them came to light,” Calimbay fumes, speaking to Sporx. “Nobody played in their (right) position. We had to play Onur (Bulut, a midfielder) at centre-back.

“We have no centre-backs at all. There is Bailly, he is always injured. He is an excellent player but he is injured.”

Those two words are quite a fitting description for Bailly’s recent career. ‘Always injured’ indeed.

The former Villarreal ace, who joined Manchester United for £30 million under Jose Mourinho, has only made more than 20 appearances in a single season once since 2016/17.

His tally at Besiktas, meanwhile, stands at seven. In fact, he’s missed nearly as many games as he’s featured in since moving to Turkey. And, even when fit, Bailly has rarely done his talent justice. A last-gasp own goal against Lugano earlier in the Europa Conference League group-stages contributing to the dire situation Calimbay’s sorry side now find themselves in.

European exit looms for Man United and Besiktas

With only one point from a possible 15, Besiktas – like Bailly’s old employers Manchester United – are bottom of their group following a dismal European campaign.