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Match preview
Tynecastle Park will be packed to the rafters and rocking as big-time European football returns to Gorgie.
Due to the improved position of Scotland’s UEFA coefficient, last season’s third-place finish saw Hearts guarantee group stage football.
Robbie Neilson’s side actually had a shot at the Europa League, but were edged out by FC Zürich, losing 2-1 in St. Gallen and then 1-0 at home.
Jorge Grant’s red card for diving in the second leg all-but extinguishing their chances.
Nevertheless, given the Jambos’ only group stage, to date, came 18 years ago, this is a more than satisfactory consolation prize.
However, Hearts do not come into this one in good form or at full strength.
Nevertheless, inspire of a ludicrous early kick off, can a sell-out crowd roar their team onto a famous victory?
İstanbul Başakşehir though, alongside Fiorentina, are overwhelming favourites to progress through this group, with Hearts and Latvian Champions RFS rank outsiders.
The Turkish club had to come through three do-or-die qualifiers to get here, ousting Maccabi Netanya, Breiðablik and Royal Antwerp, the latter a particularly impressive result.
In all three rounds, the Grey Owls won the away tie, despite losing five successive European away matches beforehand.
So, this is Başakşehir’s fourth UEFA group stage, all since 2017, winning just five of 18 fixtures at this stage.
On Saturday, Emre Belözoğlu’s team beat Alanyaspor 2-0, Serdar Gürler and Philippe Kény scoring, continuing their unbeaten start to the Süper Lig season.
Familiar faces like Mesut Özil, Nacer Chadli, Bertrand Traoré and Lucas Biglia could be lining-up at Tynecastle, emphasising the magnitude of the task at hand.
Will İstanbul Başakşehir’s quality see them leave Edinburgh with three points?
