Istanbul Basaksehir vs. PSG Betting Preview – Champions League, October 28, 2020

Istanbul Basaksehir and PSG will both be looking to get their first 2020/21 UEFA Champions League points on the board when they clash in Istanbul on Wednesday, October 28.

The two teams sit joint-bottom in Group H, with Manchester United and RB Leipzig leading the way. Defeats on Matchday 1 have left both sides in desperate need of a win.

If you’re thinking about wagering on this game, I recommend checking out my Istanbul Basaksehir vs. PSG prediction and betting pick below.

After making it all the way to the UCL final last season, PSG (1.20) is the obvious favorite to win on Wednesday. The bookmakers view Istanbul Basaksehir (12.25) as the clear outsider, but I’m not so sure the odds gap should be so vast.

PSG was outclassed by a relatively weak Man Utd team last week, while Basaksehir heads into this clash on the back of two big domestic victories.

Having won the Turkish Super Lig last season, Istanbul Basaksehir got off the worst possible start this term. Three straight defeats saw Okan Buruk’s men fail to score a single goal, but following a much-needed draw, the team appears to be back on track.

Basaksehir beat last season’s runner-up Trabzonspor 2-0 a fortnight ago, with Irfan Kahveci and Edin Visca both betting on the scoresheet. On Saturday, Kahveci netted again while Visca notched up two goals and an assist as Buruk’s side thrashed Antalyaspor 5-1.

The Turks were beaten 2-0 by RB Leipzig last week, although losing to last term’s quarter-finalists isn’t bad for a Champions League debut. The team clearly possesses plenty of attacking threat, but Buruk’s backline will need to be on top form against PSG on Wednesday.

Usurpingly, PSG has been blowing their Ligue 1 opponents away recently. The Parisians have won each of their previous six domestic games while conceding just a single goal along the way. They have also hit the target 20 times during that period, averaging over three goals per game.

But for all of PSG’s domestic domination, Thomas Tuchel’s men lost their opening Champions League game. The French side enjoyed plenty of possession against Man Utd, but the Red Devils didn’t exactly struggle to record a 2-1 victory.

Let’s be honest, Ligue 1 is a walk in the park for PSG. The Parisians have won seven of the last eight top-flight titles in France and will almost certainly claim four in a row this season. But when it comes to competing on the European stage, the team invariably seems to struggle.

Of course, reaching the final was a big achievement last term. But it feels like there is still a vulnerability to PSG when it comes to the Champions League.

Istanbul Basaksehir is somewhat of an unknown quantity at the moment, and I think that plays into the Turkish side’s hands. Buruk’s men will be brimming with confidence having netted five goals at the weekend, so I can see them causing PSG some problems.

PSG is the overwhelming favorite to win on Wednesday, but the away victory doesn’t offer much value in my eyes. Instead, purely for the potential profit, I’m backing Basaksehir to hold the French giant to a draw.