The Europa League gets back underway this week, as Copenhagen welcome Istanbul Basaksehir for the second leg of their round of 16 tie. But, which team will be able to progress through to the next round of the competition.
Europa League Preview
Istanbul have really caught the imagination this season, as they have been taking the Europa League more seriously than they have done over previous years. There will also be huge confidence within the ranks of the team, as they have recently won the top-flight title in Turkey for the first time in their history. That dramatic success was achieved with a narrow victory over Kayserispor in their final home game. Istanbul have performed excellently in the Europa League to this point, as they topped a tricky looking group that also included AS Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach. They managed to reach this stage of the competition after overcoming a 3-1 disadvantage to beat Sporting Lisbon 4-1 in their second leg. Edin Visca scored twice in that victory, with the first of those ensuring Istanbul managed to force extra-time, before he scored a stunning 119th minute winner.
Istanbul will also come into the second leg with an advantage having won the first leg 1-0 after Vidisca scored with two minutes remaining. Copenhagen have exceeded all expectations to go this deep in the competition this season, as they managed to get through to the round of 16 after beating Celtic in the previous round. The Danish sides were able to secure their passage with a 3-1 home success against the Scottish champions. Michael Santos, Pep Biel and Dame N’Doye scored in that victory. They are a difficult side to beat, as they had lost just once in the Europa League before that defeat against Istanbul.
Copenhagen vs Istanbul Basaksehir Team News
Copenhagen will come into this fixture with a number of injury concerns, with Ragnar Sigurdsson, Viktor Fischer and Michael Santos all potentially missing for the second leg. Meanwhile, Istanbul will come into the fixture with a fully fit squad, as they look to defend their advantage from the first leg.
Copenhagen vs Istanbul Basaksehir Prediction
The narrow 1-0 advantage that Istanbul has from the first leg could be pivotal in this tie, as Copenhagen will have to secure twice to book their place in the next round. Istanbul have a number of players that can produce moments in the final third, which means that it is difficult to bet against them scoring in the game. Therefore, the preference is for Istanbul to qualify.
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