Istanbul Basaksehir vs Burnley Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Burnley needed extra time to book their place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League, and that was a clash with Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen. The Clarets now face a difficult trip to Turkey on Thursday night, as they prepare to meet Istanbul Basaksehir. The Premier League side are aiming to make a big impact in Europe this season, but are they about to come up short in their first big visit to the continent in decades? Sean Dyche’s men may have exceeded expectations last season, but they have reason for concern here.

The Clarets had been waiting since the 60s for European football, so a visit to Aberdeen wasn’t ideal. They wanted a European tour after their seventh place finish in the Premier League last season, and now they finally have what they were waiting for. After a short trip north, they now face a long haul flight east to take on Turkish opposition. That’s going to be a huge occasion for the Burnley fans, but could it prove to be too big a test?

The hosts have become a major force in Turkish football of late, thanks to some big signings and title challenges. While they fell short last season, they were in the mix for silverware throughout the campaign. They will expect another tilt at the Super Lig title, while they’ll be out to replicate last season’s run to the group stage of the Europa League. As Basaksehir improve domestically, they’ll also be targeting more and more success in Europe, so they are a side for the Clarets to be concerned about.

After all, Aberdeen held them to a 1-1 draw home and away, so the Clarets’ defence can be questioned. They’re going to be vulnerable in this trip, especially given that Basaksehir have the edge in terms of experience. Burnley do have quality, as shown by their Premier League finish last season, but holding off the Turkish side is going to be a tall order for the Turf Moor outfit.

We haven’t been impressed with Burnley’s defending so far, but the same can be said for Basaksehir in Europe. Their last five matches in the Europa League have seen both teams score. They’ve kept just two clean sheets in their history in this competition, and we doubt that they’ll stop Burnley from getting an away goal. We can see this tie being tightly poised after this first leg, so we’re going with a 2-1 home win for the more experienced Super Lig side. Our main tip is both teams to score, given the question mark over both defences here.