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AFP
Istanbul
Newcomers Istanbul Basaksehir face a tough baptism in the Champions League after shaking up the Turkish football hierarchy.
Basaksehir earned their place in Europe’s elite club competition by pipping Turkey’s traditional giants to win the title for the first time.
They could scarcely have asked for a harder draw as a reward. They host Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday after losing 2-0 to RB Leipzig last week. After that they play Manchester United home and away.
A win against PSG, last season’s runners-up, would be symbolic beyond the pitch at a time when Ankara and Paris are locked in a diplomatic stand-off.
Basaksehir’s title triumph was coming after they finished second in 2017 and 2019. Yet their rise has been remarkable.
The achievement stands out given the traditional dominance of Turkey’s Super Lig by Istanbul’s big three of Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas.
Between them, that trio had won all bar one of the previous 35 titles, with the exception being Bursaspor in 2010.
For their detractors, Basaksehir owe their success to the support of the government and Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Created in the 1990s by the municipality of Istanbul, the club was sold in 2014 to a consortium of businessmen. The club is based in the district of Basaksehir in the European part of Istanbul, far from the heart of the sprawling city.
Following the 2014 takeover a 17,000-capacity stadium was built, named after the legendary former player and manager Fatih Terim, who manages Galatasaray.
Erdogan blessed the club’s new look when in July 2014 he donned Basaksehir colours to play in a charity game at the new stadium and scored an improbable three goals in 15 minutes.
While Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas have splashed the cash to sign foreign stars who are past their peak, Basaksehir’s squad is a mix of local talent, like Irfan Can Kahveci, and unearthed treasures like the Bosnian Edin Visca.
There are some foreign veterans, though, with the Brazilian ex-Manchester United full-back Rafael recently arriving from Lyon to join Demba Ba and Nacer Chadli.
Istanbul
Newcomers Istanbul Basaksehir face a tough baptism in the Champions League after shaking up the Turkish football hierarchy.
Basaksehir earned their place in Europe’s elite club competition by pipping Turkey’s traditional giants to win the title for the first time.
They could scarcely have asked for a harder draw as a reward. They host Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday after losing 2-0 to RB Leipzig last week. After that they play Manchester United home and away.
A win against PSG, last season’s runners-up, would be symbolic beyond the pitch at a time when Ankara and Paris are locked in a diplomatic stand-off.
Basaksehir’s title triumph was coming after they finished second in 2017 and 2019. Yet their rise has been remarkable.
The achievement stands out given the traditional dominance of Turkey’s Super Lig by Istanbul’s big three of Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas.
Between them, that trio had won all bar one of the previous 35 titles, with the exception being Bursaspor in 2010.
For their detractors, Basaksehir owe their success to the support of the government and Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Created in the 1990s by the municipality of Istanbul, the club was sold in 2014 to a consortium of businessmen. The club is based in the district of Basaksehir in the European part of Istanbul, far from the heart of the sprawling city.
Following the 2014 takeover a 17,000-capacity stadium was built, named after the legendary former player and manager Fatih Terim, who manages Galatasaray.
Erdogan blessed the club’s new look when in July 2014 he donned Basaksehir colours to play in a charity game at the new stadium and scored an improbable three goals in 15 minutes.
While Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas have splashed the cash to sign foreign stars who are past their peak, Basaksehir’s squad is a mix of local talent, like Irfan Can Kahveci, and unearthed treasures like the Bosnian Edin Visca.
There are some foreign veterans, though, with the Brazilian ex-Manchester United full-back Rafael recently arriving from Lyon to join Demba Ba and Nacer Chadli.
