This Europa League tie is teetering on a knife edge and, although Lyon won the first-leg, Besiktas scored that crucial away goal.
Besiktas have had a week off since the defeat against Lyon last Thursday, their first since 10th February. Besiktas are five points clear at the top of the table and, despite that first leg loss, things are looking pretty good.
Senol Gunes’s side certainly focus on the attacking side of the game and are the top scorers in the Turkish Super Lig with 54 in 27 games. Additionally, they have scored in 12 out of their last 13 matches. Defensively though, they are also sound with just 23 league goals conceded, however, they have let in five goals in the last two games.
Turkish grounds are always intimidating places for opposition teams to play in and, to make it even worse for Lyon, the Black Eagles have been fantastic at home this campaign with no defeats in their 13 league matches, scoring in each of them. Furthermore, they have scored in each European home match at the Vodafone Arena this season (both Champions League and Europa League) and won all their Europa League home games. They have also not lost a home European match in two years.
Like Besiktas, Lyon have had a week-long break since that win last week. They may have got the result in the first tie but that away goal could prove crucial here.
Les Gones, again like their Turkish opponents, focus on the attacking side of the game and it is no surprise that they have scored an incredible 65 goals in 32 league games this season whilst they have also found the back of the net in each of their last 14 matches in all competitions. Furthermore, they have the highest Average Goals Per Game in the Europa League with 3.6. Defensively though, they are a bit of a mess and only have the eighth-best Goals Against record in Ligue 1. They have also kept just one clean sheet in their last six in all competitions.
Away form has been pretty ropey for Bruno Genesio’s side with just one win in their last five in all competitions. However, they have scored in each of those games so will be confident they can get a result in Istanbul.
Given Besiktas’s home record and Lyon’s dodgy form on the road, the Turkish still have a good chance of going through to the semi-finals. Add into this that Besiktas score a fair few goals at home and will no doubt do so against this weak Lyon defence, and 5/2 on ‘Besiktas to Qualify’ becomes very appealing.
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