Beşiktaş vs Istanbul – News and Probable Lineups

Besiktas aims to bounce back to winning form in the Turkish Super Lig as they host Istanbul Basaksehir at Tupras Stadium this coming Monday evening.

Currently, Vincenzo Italiano’s team holds the fifth position in the league with 15 points from their eight matches, while the visitors stand at 10th with 11 points. However, Besiktas comes into this match having not won in their previous two competitive outings, whereas Basaksehir is on a three-match unbeaten streak.

Match overview

With Besiktas trailing by four points in the Super Lig, they cannot afford another defeat after suffering three losses in their first eight fixtures if they wish to stay competitive near the top of the table.

The Black Eagles have encountered losses in two of their last three league matches, falling 3-2 to Amed SK before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Trabzonspor in their last match, with both losses surrounding a 2-1 victory over Kocaelispor.

In addition, there have been European commitments to handle, as Besiktas faced Premier League opponents Crystal Palace on Thursday. Wilfred Ndidi had put them ahead in first-half stoppage time, but goals from Yeremy Pino and Jean-Philippe Mateta reversed the situation after the break, before Junior Olaitan’s equaliser in the 73rd minute. Umit Akdag’s red card just four minutes later capped off an exciting 2-2 draw.

Coach Italiano will be hoping that the physical toll from Thursday’s match will not affect his players as they prepare for Monday’s game, aiming to extend their two-match winning streak over Basaksehir and keep their perfect home record intact in the Super Lig this season, having won all four league contests at Tupras Stadium.

Meanwhile, Basaksehir arrives in good shape, having extended their unbeaten run to three matches with a 2-1 victory over Gaziantep, which included a decisive late goal from Umut Gunes after Eldor Shomurodov’s contribution with both a goal and an assist.

Their recent performance has allowed them to climb the league table after a tough spell which saw them register three losses and a draw across four matches, placing them at risk of falling towards the bottom of the standings.

However, Nuri Sahin’s team has yet to resolve their away struggles, having not managed to secure a win in any of their four away fixtures so far this season, losing three of them. The Super Lig away record for Basaksehir reveals two defeats and a draw, with only Caykur Rizespor faring worse in terms of away performances.

Nevertheless, the Grey Owls can draw on confidence from their past visits to this venue, having achieved two victories and suffered two defeats in their last four encounters, with both of their wins coming without conceding any goals.

Team News

Besiktas will be missing Fabio Miretti, as the club has confirmed the midfielder suffered a shoulder injury during the match against Crystal Palace.

Orkun Kokcu is also likely to be absent as he recovers from a foot injury sustained in the Europa League clash against Hoffenheim, while Milot Rashica remains a concern due to a thigh injury incurred while representing Kosovo on international duty.

For Basaksehir, Jerome Opoku, Christopher Operi, and Edin Visca have all been reported as doubtful in various team updates, although their status remains uncertain.

Umut Bozok, leading the visitors with an average of 1.5 shots on target per match, is expected to spearhead the attack, supported by top scorer Shomurodov.

Besiktas probable starting XI:

Nobel; Murillo, Agbadou, Topcu, Yilmaz; Earth; Cerny, Olaitan, Trossard; Hyeon-Gyu Oh

Istanbul Basaksehir probable starting XI:

Sengezer; Karbownik, Bayram, Ba, Kharebashvili; Kemen, Kaluzinski; Skov Olsen, Shomurodov, Brnic; Bozok

Besiktas showcases a more potent offensive line and a strong home performance, despite the physical strain of their European outing potentially making this a challenging match. Basaksehir possesses enough attacking prowess to pose a threat, particularly through Shomurodov, but their inconsistent away form raises concerns, leading to a predicted narrow victory for the home side.