Istanbul Basaksehir vs Roma Predictions

These two sides are fighting it out for a top two finish in one of the tightest groups in this season’s Europa League. The four sides in Group J are apart by just three points, meaning it’s all to play for as they approach their penultimate game on Thursday night. Will group leaders Istanbul Basaksehir move further in front, or can Roma return to the top two?

Istanbul Başakşehir’s 0-4 defeat to Roma on MD1 was their first-ever meeting with Italian opposition. However, it wasn’t Roma’s first clash against a side from the Super Lig. The Giallorossi are winless in their last four away games against Turkish sides in European competition (D2 L2). Will this be a similar struggle for the visitors, or will they claim the three points they need to boost their hopes of getting out of the group?

Roma come into this one pushing for the Champions League on two fronts. They want a return to Serie A’s top four, while they must see the Europa League as an option. The winners of this competition get a spot in next season’s Champions League, so Roma may see it as a useful backup – as long as they can make it out of the group. However, their recent record might make that tricky.

Roma have only won one of their last 11 away games in the Champions League/Europa League (D2 L8), with the Italian side winless on the road so far in this Europa League campaign. Meanwhile, a victory for Istanbul would see them reach the knockout stages of the Europa League for the first time. They’ve won their last two games in the competition, as many as they had in their first eight (W2 D3 L3).

Basaksehir come into this one on the up, while Roma are looking poor on the road. They’ve failed to win four of their last five trips, while the hosts are unbeaten in their last 11 matches. Following that run, we see the hosts avoiding defeat once again. We are backing Istanbul Basaksehir on the Double Chance market.

On top of backing the hosts to avoid defeat, we’re backing them to claim a draw on Thursday. This group is finely poised, with the four sides looking pretty equal based on their results so far. Roma come into this clash having seen both teams score in their last three group games, while they’ve drawn two of their last three outings. They were set for a third consecutive 1-1 draw in this group before a 90th minute Gladbach winner last time out, so a 1-1 draw is our correct score tip here.