Hearts vs. Istanbul Basaksehir Betting Tips: Unbeaten visitors can break home Hearts

Hearts have a second chance at making a statement in Europe after failing to make it through to the Europa League. Instead, they have dropped into the Europa Conference League group stages where they’ll draw swords with Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir, and RFS in Group A. First up, they play on home soil against Turkish opponents Istanbul Basaksehir, which will be available to view on BT Sport 3 tonight (Thursday) at 5.45pm...

Hearts’ Europa League dreams may have been burst by FC Zurich, but on the plus side they are now involved in their first European group stage competition in nearly two decades, dating back to 2004.

Hearts, who finished third in the league last season, will need to be at their very best to secure a top-2 place in what looks like a testing group. Confidence isn’t exactly high right either now following a rotten run of five defeats in six matches, including back-to-back defeats to nil against Kilmarnock and Livingston. 

Meanwhile, they face an Istanbul side that hasn’t suffered a single defeat in 18 matches stretching all the way back to March. They have won seven and drawn three of their 10 matches so far this season and battled through three rounds to make it through to the main draw; getting the better of Maccabi Netanya, Breidablik, and Royal Antwerp.

One plus for Hearts though is that Mesut Ozil won’t be involved in the game, missing out on the Tynecastle trip due to illness.

Hearts can be backed at 11/4 to begin life in the Europa Conference League with a win. Istanbul appeal at 23/20 given their long unbeaten run, while a draw is available at 12/5.

Sorry Hearts fans, but it’s difficult not to side with Istanbul Basaksehir on this one. Managed by ex-Newcastle playmaker, Emre Belözoğlu, the Turkish side are awash with confidence right now. Not only are they enjoying an 18 game unbeaten run - including the back end of last season - but they have been beaten just five times in 41 matches under Emre. On top of that they look defensively strong, having recorded six clean sheets in 10 matches this term.

Basaksehir won each of their three away games in qualifying for the main draw and I fancy them to extend this sequence to four straight wins on the road when they arrive in the Scottish capital tonight. Hearts’ early initial season promise has completely disappeared following a wretched return of five defeats in six matches. The best-priced 23/20 with bet365 for an away win is there for the taking.

Additionally, an Istanbul Basaksehir win to nil could appeal at 13/5 with BetVictor.

One Istanbul Basaksehir player who has rocketed out of the blocks this season is Danijel Aleksic. The Serbian already has five goals on the board in all competitions, four of which came in qualification for the Europa Conference League: he scored a brace at Breidablik, then added another in the home leg, before bagging a goal in the 3-1 win in Antwerp.

Aleksic will now be looking to add to his tally in the main draw against a Hearts side that has failed to keep a clean sheet in nine matches this season. In fact, they haven’t registered a shutout in 13 matches since April. 

At 3/1 (bet365), Aleksic looks decent value in the anytime goalscorer market. One other price of interest could be the 17/2 available on the player in the last goalscorer market, considering that three of his five goals this season have been scored after the 80th minute, with those three late strikes in this very competition.