Prediction: Istanbul Basaksehir vs Burnley

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 9/4

Bookmaker: bet365

Whilst the excitement surrounding the return of the Premier League is all that most football fans can talk about, there’s also the small matter of bundling through the Europa League & Champions League qualifiers. All of the teams involved in the UEL at this stage know that a defeat over two legs would signal the end of their time in Europe this season, raising the stakes even higher. So then, with that in mind, it’s time to take a look at what is sure to be an entertaining showdown between Istanbul Basaksehir and Burnley.

Istanbul Basaksehir

A few years ago Istanbul Basaksehir were hidden away in the shadows behind some of their more dominant and notable local rivals, but now, they’re right up there with the best of them in Turkish football – and it looks like they’re here to stay. They’ve got a solid infrastructure in place, a squad with tonnes of experience, and a growing fanbase that seems to be getting bigger and bigger every single day. In this tie, however, we’ll see whether their heart and determination matches up to the Clarets.

Team News

Arda Turan, Gael Clichy & Emmanuel Adebayor are three of the many notable names in the Basaksehir ranks, and all three will be hoping to start this one as they continue to try and prove themselves as legitimate representatives of Turkish football.

Burnley

Burnley just about made it through their tie against Aberdeen in the last round, and against Basaksehir, they’ll be faced with a lot more problems. Sean Dyche needs to ensure that his squad doesn’t do anything silly, keeps calm from the word go, and frustrates the home side to the point where they’re drawn into making poor mistakes. If they can get an away goal, their confidence will be sky high heading into the second leg.

Team News

Anders Lindegaard is expected to start the game despite the arrival of Joe Hart, with Ben Gibson being tipped for a start after his big money move from Middlesbrough.

Factors to Consider

• Istanbul finished 3rd in the Super Lig last season, whereas Burnley finished 7th in the Premier League.
• Basaksehir have more European experience throughout their squad than Burnley.
• This is Istanbul’s first tie in the Europa League this season, meanwhile, Burnley have already beaten Aberdeen.
• Burnley have won one, drawn three and lost two of their last six competitive games.
• Istanbul have won four, drawn one and lost one of their last six competitive games.

Conclusion

Istanbul Basaksehir are a team on the rise in the realms of Turkish football, and they’ll be eager to prove that in European competition. If they can start off the game at a high tempo then they’re in with a real chance of making something happen early on, but the longer it goes without a goal, the more this game favours Burnley. We think they’re going to edge out a 0-0 draw in Istanbul, before taking the game back to Turf Moor where they’ll attempt to keep their European adventure alive.

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 9/4

Bookmaker: bet365