Istanbul Basaksehir — Universitatea Craiova : Match Preview and Prediction for August 21,2025

Basaksehir’s Home Scoring Prowess

In this Conference League qualification campaign, the Turkish side has proven to be a goal-scoring machine, especially when playing on home turf. Just look at their recent track record: in the previous round, they netted four unanswered goals against Bulgarian side Cherno More. This isn’t just a coincidence; it’s a consistent pattern supported by statistics. In 12 of Istanbul’s last 18 home matches, three or more goals were scored in total.

Analysing Basaksehir’s European Form

While their second-leg match against Norwegian club Viking ended in a 1-1 draw, the initial away fixture saw a 3-1 victory for the Turks. Four goals combined in that match is certainly indicative of their attacking philosophy. A look back at their previous European season further fuels the narrative: the Turks managed to lose to Slovenian side Celje with a resounding 1-5 scoreline. This suggests that the team is capable of engaging in open, end-to-end games with any opponent, often leading to a goal festival.

Defensive Vulnerabilities of Basaksehir

Furthermore, in recent matches played at Basaksehir’s home ground, only their very first qualification opponents failed to score. This strongly suggests that the Turkish club’s defense is far from impenetrable. With an attacking team like Universitatea, which also exhibits defensive frailties, goals are practically inevitable in this fixture.

Craiova’s High-Octane European Performance

The Romanians are an absolute whirlwind! Their latest European encounter against Spartak Trnava was a true thriller that every football enthusiast should witness. After a convincing 3-0 home victory, Craiova set up a heart-stopping return leg, which ended 1-4 in regular time, and ultimately 3-4 after extra time. Seven goals in one match! This team, under Mirel Radoi, embraces an ultra-attacking brand of football. They don’t sit back and defend, even when holding a lead.

Key Attacking Players for Craiova

Their new striker, Steven Nsimba, has already notched 3 goals in 5 appearances, including the decisive goal against Spartak. Stefan Baiaram is also in superb form, boasting 4 goals in 8 matches at the start of the season.

Craiova’s Away Form and Goal-Scoring Trends

A crucial fact that cannot be ignored: in Universitatea’s last five consecutive away matches, at least three goals have been scored. This team simply doesn’t know how to play defensively on the road. They both score themselves and allow opponents to score, which ultimately led to four conceded goals against the Slovaks.