Besiktas – Istanbul Başakşehir: Match Preview
We provide predictions for the Besiktas vs Istanbul Başakşehir match as part of the ninth round of the Turkish Super League 2026/27. In the ninth round of the Turkish Super League, the Istanbul derby will be played. "Besiktas" is preparing to break the streak of failures, while "Istanbul" seeks to continue its unbeaten run.
Key Moments
Besiktas
1. "Besiktas" loses in defense
The "Eagle" had a tough week: in the league they lost 0-2 at home to "Trabzonspor" and in European competitions they failed to win at home for the first time this season, drawing 2-2 with "Crystal Palace". In the last five meetings, Besiktas conceded 10 goals, an average of two per match. It is not surprising that the team has started to lose points. In the Super League they occupy fifth place with 15 points, just four points behind the leader.
2. Another injury in the European match
Last week in the Europa League, Orkun Keciyu suffered an ankle injury. Now his replacement, Fabio Miretti, is also injured: the Italian has a shoulder problem and will be out for at least a month. Positive news: Vaclav Cherny has recovered and is already playing. Vincenzo Italiano must decide who will occupy the midfield in place of the Turkish and Italian; Junior Olaytan, who has rested and is in excellent shape, will likely play. He is the team's best assistant with seven goal‑creating passes. Overall, an Italian rotation is expected: he used him after the last European round and will probably not change now. Therefore, I expect the starting eleven to include Dusana Vlahovic, Rydwan Yilmaz, Emirhan Topcu, Mikael Murillo, Salih Ozkan and others.
3. "Besiktas" knows how to play against "Istanbul", plus the home factor
This year, the "Eagles" leave no opportunities to their rivals at home: in their record they have eight wins and a draw in the last encounter with "Crystal Palace". In the last six matches, the team scores at least two goals and has only conceded two goals at home twice. In attack, the team also remembers the defense. Regarding the derby, Besiktas has only lost one of the last seven meetings, with two draws and four wins. Given the home performance and the leaders' rest during the week, the hosts have all the chances to earn three points.
Istanbul Başakşehir
1. "Istanbul" gains momentum
After a poor start, Nuri Şahin's protégés are gaining ground. They now have a three‑match unbeaten streak: "Gençlerbirliği" 4-0, "Konya Spor" 0-0 and "Gaziantep" 2-1. During the break, the coaching staff solved the defensive problem. "Başakşehir" became more reliable at the goal and stopped losing. Thanks to recent successes, the team has climbed out of the bottom of the table, with 11 points in tenth place. The gap to third place is only five points.
2. Minimal injuries: one of the reasons for recent success
In the last round, Edin Visha appeared for the first time this season. The Bosnian did not play due to injury and is only recovering. It is unlikely he will appear in the starting lineup, but he can reinforce the game throughout the match. In recent rounds, defenders Christopher Opere and Jerome Opoku were not included in the starting list. The partners replaced Usseina Ba and Saba Harebashvili, and now seem to be the coach's first choice. There are no injuries or suspensions among the guests, but there are form issues: last year's leaders, Abbasbek Fayzullaev and Deivi Zelk, did not start in the opening of October. Their places in the squad were taken by Andreas Skov Olsen and Ivan Brnich. The potential of the guests' personnel is great, but the players are in different forms.
3. Away play: "Istanbul"'s weak point
Stability is lacking for the team, especially at the away goal. With the end of the last championship, Nuri Şahin's protégés only won once in nine matches, drew three times and lost five. This season, "Başakşehir" has not won away: three defeats and a draw, one goal scored and nine conceded. The statistics do not inspire optimism, and the team's inability to play against "Besiktas"—a win in the last seven meetings—does not promise anything good for the next derby.
Approximate Formations
4-2-3-1 4-2-3-1 4-2-3-1
Trend Betting
In the last eight meetings, "Istanbul" did not lose by two or more goals. F2(+1.5) at 1.81. The total under 2.5 was played in six of the last eight meetings between "Besiktas" and "Istanbul". TM 2.5 — at 2.90.
Prediction
Besiktas vs Istanbul Başakşehir 26.10.2026 19:00
"Besiktas" had a tough week, lost an important league match and broke the home win streak. The team has defensive problems, has been conceding many goals, and the attack does not always compensate for those mistakes. However, a crisis cannot be spoken of: Vincenzo Italiano's player selection is wide, and due to the density of matches, he does a lot of rotation, which does not always favor cohesion, especially at the goal. "Istanbul" after a failed start in the last rounds accumulates points regularly, and last year's offensive leaders, except Eldor Shomurodov, are not even in the base. That is, the club has potential, but still needs to be realized. If we talk about the next game, one of the best home teams in Turkey will host one of the worst away. In addition, the hosts have been regularly winning against their peers recently. Therefore, no surprises are expected in this pairing. Prediction: 2-1
