Leeds manager David O'Leary believes the painful experience of Istanbul last season has turned his innocents abroad into a closely-knit team of experienced European campaigners.
The formative years of O'Leary's young side have included their fair share of highs and lows, never more so than upon their visit to the Turkish city in April.
Between O'Leary's Leeds and a place in last season's UEFA Cup final stood Galatasaray, but the events which unfolded on the eve of the first-leg ensured it was a trip to remember for all the wrong reasons.
Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight were murdered in Taksim Square, and Leeds were forced to play the game in the intimidating Ali Sami Yen Stadium. The match resulted in a 2-0 defeat which mattered little, although O'Leary knows going into tonight's Champions League Group H tie with Besiktas that his players have emerged stronger mentally.
The match at the Inonu Stadium will be their 18th in Europe in just over a year, and is a measure of just how far they have come. "As people we've gone through many things. We were involved in a plane crash (on the way home from a league game at West Ham two seasons go) and we survived that," said O'Leary.
"We also survived the experience of last season. It was a sad tragedy they had to go through and they learned from it. It is those things that bring you closer together.
"People have asked me whether there has been any talk around the club about coming back to Istanbul, and I have to say `no'. I haven't detected any."
With events leading up to and beyond the match expected to pass peacefully, it leaves O'Leary to concentrate on a vital run of three games in seven days. After Besiktas comes a trip to Manchester United on Saturday, swiftly followed by the visit of Barcelona in the penultimate game of this current group phase.
With Leeds currently on top of Group H, O'Leary has set a target which he feels will guarantee a safe passage to the next round.
"Whether we win or lose at Manchester United, that's not going to determine our fate in the Premiership. But it obviously comes in the middle of an important spell and if we can get good results from the next two (Champions League) matches then we are into the next phase - which for me would be like winning it."
O'Leary is still hampered by injuries after Nigel Martyn joined Harry Kewell, Jason Wilcox, David Batty, Lucas Radebe and Michael Duberry in the treatment room. Reserve goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who turned 21 on Sunday, will start his first game for 16 months. With Alan Smith suspended, O'Leary must decide whether to recall Michael Bridges to partner Mark Viduka up front.
