Borussia Monchengladbach vs Istanbul Basaksehir Predictions

• A win or a draw would see Monchengladbach go through. Defeat may be enough if Roma also lose.
• Basaksehir will go through if they win. Anything less would result in their elimination.
• Gladbach have won each of their last seven at home (in all competitions).

Home form bodes well for Gladbach

After a rocky start that saw them lose by four goals to nil on home soil, the current Bundesliga leaders have steadied themselves and emerged as favourites to win the group heading into match-day six.

It took a while for the German outfit to get going, as they failed to win any of their opening three matches, but they’ve since got to grips with continental football, winning each of their last two, scoring three and conceding one in the process.

By scoring fewer goals than they’ve conceded, Gladbach haven’t exactly set the world alight in the Europa League this term, but after their opening-day defeat, they’ve been very tough to get the better of. Also, since their loss on match-day one, the Germans have scored more than they’ve given away, notching five and conceding three.

Must-win game for Turks

Basaksehir, whose side is largely made up of well-known players coming to the end of their careers, are also in with a strong shout of making the last-32, though they’ll need to do something that they’ve not done yet and that is beat one of the top two.

Thursday’s visitors are in a reasonable position just a point behind both Roma and Gladbach, but they’ve got there thanks to two wins against the weakest team in the group. Against the Italians, Basaksehir struggled, losing 4-0 on the road and 0-3 at home. In contrast, Gladbach beat Roma at home (2-1) and drew in Italy (1-1). Such results are telling.

When the pair met in Turkey, Gladbach needed a late equaliser to peg back the hosts, though it was the Germans who were the better side, as they created more and came out on top in terms of possession and shots.

Stick with the hosts

Basaksehir may only be a point behind Gladbach, but as touched on above, the group standings don’t tell the full story. Against the better teams (Gladbach and Roma), the visitors have struggled. Their recent efforts against Roma do not bode well ahead of Thursday’s trip to Borussia Park, where Gladbach have won each of their last seven in all competitions, beating the mighty Bayern less than a week ago.

Specifically, ‘Monchengladbach Win to Nil’ stands out. The host shave got stronger and stronger as the campaign has gone on, especially at the back. Having given little away against Roma, they’re backed to shut out a team that failed to score both home and away against the Italians.