Conference League Play-Off Preview: Istanbul Basaksehir -v- St Patrick’s Athletic

Mason Melia caught the eye against Istanbul Basaksehir in last week's first-leg at Tallaght Stadium

Mason Melia caught the eye against Istanbul Basaksehir in last week's first-leg at Tallaght Stadium Credit: Matthew Lysaght (ETPhotos)

St Patrick’s Athletic have a chance to create their own slice of European history when they face Istanbul Basaksehir in the second leg of their Conference League Play-Off on Wednesday evening (kick-off is at 5pm Irish Time).

The Saints have never reached the group stages of a European competition before having previously lost play-offs in the Uefa Cup and Europa League in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

But boss Stephen Kenny has reached the Europa League group stages before with Dundalk in 2016.

And his Athletic side are well in the tie ahead of Wednesday’s second leg having drawn the first leg 0-0 at Tallaght Stadium last Thursday.

The game will be available to view on Solidsport at a cost of €10 via the link here. 

ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR 

One-time Turkish Super League champions, Istanbul Basaksehir take on the Saints as red-hot favourites to advance.

The Turks won their domestic league for the first time during the 2019-20 Covid-19 hit season.

That saw them advance to the Champions League proper in the 2020-21 campaign, in which they created history by defeating English Premier League giants Manchester United 2-1 at home.

Since then, they reached the last-16 stage of the Conference League in the 2022-23 season before bowing out against Belgian side Gent 5-2 on aggregate.



But they topped their group during the campaign, most notably beating Fiorentina 3-0 at home.

While the likes of former Premier League strikers Demba Ba and Emmanuel Adebayor have played for them before, they have a new crop of players set to face the Saints.

Current striker Krzysztof Piatek is a Polish international and lined out for his country at Euro 2024. Winger Davidson, 33, is from Brazil and has already scored twice in Conference League qualifying.

Istanbul have also defeated San Marino minnows La Fiorita and Georgians Iberia 1899 to reach this stage of the competition. Their manager is Çağdaş Atan, a two-time Turkish international who has been in charge since 2023.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

Kenny admits the Saints have it all to do if they are to reach the group stages of the Conference League on Wednesday evening. 



The Athletic have upset the odds to reach this stage of the competition after seeing off Vaduz of Liechtenstein and Azerbaijani side Sabah in the previous two rounds.

And they competed well in last week’s first leg with a creditable 0-0 draw in front of over 6,000 fans at Tallaght Stadium.

The Saints will be without the services of injured pair Romal Palmer and Cian Kavanagh for the second leg at the 17,319-capacity Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium.

But a home crowd of only 5,000 is expected at the venue, with a further 100 travelling Saints set to descend on the Istanbul venue.

“They have been champions of Turkey and been in the Champions League group stages and been in successive group stages of European competition, so they would be strong favourites,” Kenny said during his pre-match press conference.

“From our point of view at St Patrick’s Athletic, it’s an opportunity to get into the group stages for the first time in our history as a club and that’s a big incentive.

“It would make a big difference to the players for their careers, for their lives, so we anticipate a tough game, but we are ready for the challenge.”

Referee:Balázs Berke (Hungary).

 

PREDICTION

Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 St Patrick’s Athletic

 

Istanbul Basaksehir 

Injured: N/A.

Doubtful:N/A.

Suspended: None.

 

St Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: Romal Palmer, Cian Kavanagh.

Doubtful:None.

Suspended: None.

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