Hoffenheim v İstanbul Başakşehir background

Hoffenheim will bid to break their European duck at the fifth attempt as they take on an Istanbul Başakşehir side yet to win a UEFA away game.

Previous meetings
• The clubs are meeting for the first time; neither has previously played a team from their opponents' home country.

• The Turkish side has won three of the last six matches between clubs from these nations staged in Germany: W3 D2 L1.

Form guide
• Hoffenheim have lost all four of their European games to date – two in Group C plus their UEFA Champions League play-off; however, they have scored in every match and also led in two of them.

• Başakşehir are yet to win a UEFA away fixture: D3 L3.

• Beaten by Liverpool home and away in the UEFA Champions League, Hoffenheim are contesting the UEFA Europa League group stage in what is their first season in European competition.

• Eliminated by Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League play-offs, Başakşehir are making their UEFA group stage debut this term.

Trivia and links
• The journey from Istanbul to Sinsheim is around 1,800km.

• Başakşehir's Tunay Torun was born in Hamburg, and played for Hamburg (2008–11), Hertha (2011–12) and Stuttgart (2012–13) in the Bundesliga.

• Tunay played alongside Hoffenheim's Nico Schulz during his time at Hertha.

• Alparslan Erdem was also born in Germany (in Vechta) and was a trainee at Werder Bremen (2003–08) before heading to Turkey.

• Hoffenheim received seven bookings in the first two matchdays – more than any other team.

The coaches
• Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann's playing career ended prematurely due to persistent knee problems, but he shone as a youth coach and – aged 28 – took charge of Hoffenheim in 2016, becoming the Bundesliga's youngest-ever senior boss.

• Abdullah Avcı led Turkey to success in the 2005 UEFA European Under-17 Championship before taking the Başakşehir reins for the first time from 2006–11. He returned in 2014 following an unsuccessful stint as Turkey boss.