Sporting Lisbon is already in the round of 16 of the Europa League with one leg. The Portuguese have created a good starting position with the 3-1 last week and are now looking confidently into the second leg on Thursday evening. Basaksehir, on the other hand, will clearly feel the double burden from the league this week. The last match was on Monday.
As the starting decisions by Okan Buruk show, no rotation was used. The exhausting away game in Rize will therefore still be in the bones of Basaksehir. In Istanbul, Sporting Lisbon will strive for the important away goal from the start. As the first leg shows, the Basaksehir defensive was largely unsuccessful against the Portuguese offensive.
At Basaksehir vs. Sporting Lisbon, we don’t find a prediction of the home side exactly recommendable. Further tips on the second most important competition in European club football can be found in the category Betting Tips Europa League.
Basaksehir:
Basaksehir prioritizes the Süper Lig. As the away game in Rize last Monday shows, the focus of last year’s runner-up is again in the national competition. Okan Buruk did without rotation, which is understandable given the tight table constellation in the Süper Lig. The championship lead was conquered with the three points from Rize.
In order to reach the round of 16 of the Europa League, Basaksehir will have to win the second leg in Istanbul with at least two goals difference. If Sporting Lisbon scores an away goal, they go into extra time. The starting point is therefore extremely bad for the Turkish representative.
Considering how badly the Basaksehir offensive presented itself in the first half of the season, this scenario is unlikely. Last week, Basaksehir had no attempt at shooting in the first half in Lisbon. Okan Buruk must come up with a better tactic in the second leg.
Sporting Lisbon:
Sporting Lisbon is already looking towards the round of 16 of the Europa League. In the first leg, the “Leões” missed a win against Basaksehir. Although the Portuguese offensive dominated at will, there was “only” a 3-1 home win against the Turkish representative. Above all, the goal in the second half was inexplicable.
Basaksehir was clearly inferior over long stretches and had no significant offensive action. Overall, the current leader of the Süper Lig made only three attempts at shooting in the entire game. If Sporting Lisbon builds on the performance from the first leg, a knockout stage will hardly be at risk.
Last weekend the “Leões” won at home over Boavista Porto, one of the strongest defensive teams in the Portuguese House of Lords. With the momentum from the last two competitive wins, it’s now off to Istanbul. An away goal will be top priority for the team of head coach Silas. Therefore, offensive Portuguese can be expected.
