Istanbul Başakşehir will look to defend their home turf and rejuvenate their Conference League campaign when they host Heidenheim at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Thursday.
Despite their struggles in Europe, the Turkish side remains determined to turn their fortunes around in front of their loyal supporters.
European struggles, defensive woes
The Grey Owls currently sit fourth from the bottom in 33rd place in the Conference League standings with just two points from four matches.
Their most recent outing, a 1-1 draw with CS Petrocub on Nov. 27, highlighted their vulnerability, as they conceded a heartbreaking equalizer in the 96th minute after taking the lead in the first half.
Istanbul Başakşehir’s defensive frailty has been a recurring theme, with the team conceding 10 goals in the group stage – tied for the second-worst record in the competition.
Manager Çağdaş Atan will undoubtedly feel his side has underperformed, particularly given their attacking potential.
Their domestic form offers a glimmer of hope, as they’ve climbed to seventh in the Turkish Süper Lig with 22 points from 14 matches, only four points adrift of fourth-placed Eyüpspor, who hold the league’s final Conference League qualification spot.
Fortress Fatih Terim Başakşehir’s home form has been a source of pride and optimism.
They have suffered just one loss in their last 12 matches at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
However, consistency remains an issue, as four of their last six home fixtures have ended in draws.
Nevertheless, the Grey Owls’ recent domestic resurgence, with back-to-back victories, indicates a potential turning point.
Başakşehir are expected to field a familiar starting XI.
The defensive line may feature Leo Duarte, Ousseynou Ba, Jerome Opoku, and Ömer Ali Şahiner.
In midfield, Onur Ergün could anchor the trio, with Olivier Kemen and Dimitrios Pelkas providing creative support.
The attack is likely to be spearheaded by Philippe Keny, Krzysztof Piatek, and Joao Figueiredo, who will aim to exploit Heidenheim’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Challenge of Heidenheim
While Heidenheim has struggled domestically, sitting third from the bottom in the Bundesliga with just 10 points from 13 matches, their European performances have been a pleasant surprise.
Frank Schmidt’s men have won five of their six Conference League matches this season, including qualifiers, and are level on points with ninth-placed Lugano for the final automatic round-of-16 qualification spot.
Despite a 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Nov. 28, Heidenheim impressed by creating four significant chances against a high-caliber opponent.
However, their away form leaves much to be desired, with four losses in their last five road games.
These defeats include encounters against Bundesliga powerhouses Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, which offer some context to their struggles.
Injury concerns for Heidenheim
The visitors will be without midfielders Julian Niehues and Luka Janes until late December.
Schmidt is expected to deploy a midfield trio of Niklas Dorsch, Lennard Maloney, and Jan Schöppner.
The attacking line may feature Paul Wanner, Maximilian Breunig, and Leo Scienza, as forwards Mikkel Kaufmann and Marvin Pieringer remain sidelined until January and February, respectively.