Conference League | League Stage

Dec 19, 2024 at 8pm UK

Jan Breydelstadion

Cercle Bruggevs.Istanbul

Match preview

Cercle Brugge, competing in European competition for the first time this century, have enjoyed a successful Conference League campaign so far, taking 10 points from their opening five league games.

The Belgian side have boosted their hopes of a top-eight finish with back-to-back victories over Hearts and Olimpija, beating the former 2-0 at home and the latter 4-1 away last week.

Ferdinand Feldhofer's side currently sit sixth in the 36-team table, level on points with four others, and will all but guarantee their place in the last 16 and avoid the play-offs if they take maximum points against Istanbul Basaksehir.

Since beating Olimpija, Cercle Brugge had to come from behind to salvage a valuable point in a 1-1 draw with Gent in the Belgian Pro League last Sunday. The Green and Blues have struggled domestically this season and currently sit in the relegation zone, four points adrift of safety.

Feldhofer, who has been in charge of Cercle for just two games since the sacking of Miron Muslic on 2 December, will be hoping to extend his unbeaten start to the season and will be motivated by the prospect of securing European knockout football for the club for the first time.

Two seasons after reaching the last 16 of the Conference League, Istanbul Basaksehir are now in danger of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds after taking just five points from as many games in the league phase this term.

After starting their European campaign with back-to-back defeats to Rapid Vienna and Celje, the Grey Owls are now unbeaten in their last three matches, with draws against Copenhagen and Petrocub followed by a crucial 3-1 home win over Heidenheim last week.

The win over the Bundesliga outfit lifted Cagdas Atan's side up to 24th in the 36-team table, the last available play-off spot, which they currently occupy by just one point. Basaksehir know that a win on Thursday will secure them a play-off spot, but anything less could see them relegated.

Since beating Heidenheim, the Grey Owls have seen their three-match winning run in all competitions ended by Fenerbahce (3-1), but they have not lost any ground in their pursuit of a top-four finish in the Turkish Super Lig and remain seventh, four points off the European spots.

Atan's men will now focus on their trip to Cercle Brugge, where they will be looking to end a six-game unbeaten run on the road, including five defeats in which they have conceded a total of 15 goals.

Recent Performance

Cercle Brugge Conference League form:LWLDWW

Cercle Brugge form (all competitions):LWLDWD

Istanbul Basaksehir Conference League form:WLLDDW

Istanbul Basaksehir form (all competitions):LDWWWL

Team News

Cercle Brugge will be without Warleson, Bruninho (both knees), Nazinho and Abdoul Kader Ouattara (both hamstrings) as they continue to recover from injury, while Erick Nunes and Emmanuel Kakou are unavailable as they were not selected in the club's Conference League squad.

Top scorer Kevin Denkey, who has 15 goals to his name this season, has agreed to join MLS side FC Cincinnati in January for a reported €15 million, but he is available to lead the line for Feldhofer's side and could be joined in attack by Kazeem Olaigbe.

As for Istanbul Basaksehir, Muhammed Sengezer (rib), Onur Ergun (thigh), Omer Ali Sahiner, Joao Figueiredo, Serdar Gurler and Philippe Keny (all undisclosed) are all nursing injuries, while Berkay Ozcan has been ruled out of first-team selection after a 'consultation with the management' last month.

Krzysztof Piatek has scored 18 goals this season, including four in five Conference games, and the Polish striker is expected to start up front, while centre-back Ousseynou Ba is available despite being sent off in the Super Lig defeat to Fenerbahce last weekend.

Possible starting lineup

Cercle Brugge possible starting lineup:

Delanghe; Utkus, Ravych, Magnee; Efekele, Francis, De Wilde, Magnee; Minda; Olaigbe, Denkey

Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:

Dilmen; Duarte, Ba, Opoku, Lima; Ergun; Crespo, Ozdemir, Kemen; Turuc, Piatek, Davidson