Borussia Monchengladbach welcome Istanbul Basaksehir to Borussia-Park on Thursday night for an important Europa League clash in Group J.
A point would be enough to see the German side qualify for the next round, while Basaksehir must win to book their place in the last 32.
Gladbach are the surprise leaders at the top of the Bundesliga table. 10 wins from 14 games have seen Marco Rose’s side climb to the summit of the German top-flight – one point clear of second-place RB Leipzig.
⚽ @EuropaLeague balls out, boys. We've got another top spot to defend 👊#DieFohlen #UEL #BMGIBFK pic.twitter.com/57583PxiLj— Gladbach (@borussia_en) December 10, 2019
⚽ @EuropaLeague balls out, boys. We've got another top spot to defend 👊#DieFohlen #UEL #BMGIBFK pic.twitter.com/57583PxiLj
A huge statement victory over reigning champions Bayern Munich has put Gladbach in a fantastic position. They went behind to an Ivan Perisic goal against Bayern, before a late brace from Ramy Bensebaini turned the game in Gladbach’s favour.
The German club also sit at the top of Group J, level on points with Roma and one ahead of Matchday 6 visitor Istanbul Basaksehir.
On the other hand, the Turkish club have only lost two of their 14 league games this term, but five draws have left the team stuck in fourth place in the Super Lig table.
With Turkish powerhouses Fenerbahce and Galatasaray also struggling for consistency, manager Okan Buruk will be disappointed that his team has failed to take control of their domestic league.
Basaksehir suffered a 4-0 defeat on Matchday 1. However, following their heavy loss to Roma, they then picked up seven points from a possible nine in the Europa League.
This run saw the Istanbul side top Group J after Matchday 4, but another defeat to Roma in the previous round has left Basaksehir fighting to save their European campaign.
The Turkish side will be wary of the threat posed by Gladbach’s potent forward line. Marcus Thuram has scored nine goals and created six so far this season, while Patrick Herrmann, Breel Embolo and Alassane Plea have all chipped in with goals and assists.
With that being said, the Istanbul outfit possess a number of experienced defenders. Gael Clichy and Martin Skrtel have both played at the top level throughout their careers, but the aging pair are now arguably past their best.
It’s set to be a cagey affair on Thursday. Neither side will want to lose, but Basaksehir must claim all three points in order to progress. Monchengladbach are likely to approach this game with caution, knowing a point would be enough to see them progress.
Forebet predicts that the German side will advance to the Round of 32 by holding Basaksehir to a draw.