Sporting Lisbon v Istanbul Basaksehir Betting Tips [20 February 2020]

Sporting Club Portugal’s record-equalling eight appearance in the last-32 of the UEFA Europa League will come at home against Istanbul Başakşehir, who are making their debut at this stage.

Sporting finished runners-up in Group ‘D’ to LASK, a side they have lost to on matchday six of the group stage. Indeed, Sporting’s Europa League campaign started and ended with a loss, winning all four in between. Three of those have come with a clean sheet and Sporting’s last four Europa League games have seen one side pick up a clean sheet. Sporting will hope that their superior home form in the competition will give them an edge. The Portuguese hosts have won seven of their last nine Europa League home matches, including the last three in a row. Furthermore, Sporting have won eight of their last ten competitive home matches, including the last two in a row.

Başakşehir are into their fifth successive European campaign and are in their first-ever knockouts. The Turkish visitors have surprised everyone by topping a very competitive Group ‘J’ ahead of AS Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach. They did so with three wins in their last four Europa League group games, losing once. Başakşehir do not have a good record away from home in the Europa League, losing six of their ten such games. However, two of their three wins have come in the most recent away matches in the competition. The overall away performance of Başakşehir has been equally meddling. Although Başakşehir have lost only of their last 12 competitive away matches, they are winless in three such matches coming into this fixture.

Sporting Portugal have rich pedigree in this competition at this stage and they will hope to ride on that to get the better of novices Istanbul Başakşehir. The Turkish visitors are in their first-ever knockout match of the Europa League and that might work to the hosts’ advantage. We are backing Sporting to come up with a win in this match.