St Patrick's Athletic begin a tie this evening that they hope will be historic for the club.
They have the chance to become just the third League of Ireland side to reach the group stages of a European competition.
To get this far in the Conference League they've seen off Liechtenstein outfit Vaduz and Azerbaijani side Sabah, but what awaits them later on is an altogether tougher proposition.
In the last decade Istanbul Basaksehir have appeared in the group stages of the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League.
They beat Manchester United in the Champions League in November of 2020, while they were in the last 16 of the tournament they're trying to qualify for this evening just 18 months ago.
International experience
They certainly have modern European group stage calibre.
While their squad is not as strong as it was a few seasons ago, they still have the experience and firepower to cause Stephen Kenny some real worry later.
The group is littered with current and former internationals, amongst them Jerome Opoku (Ghana), Dimitrios Pelkas (Greece), Deniz Turuc, Berat Özdemirand and Berkay Ozcan (all Turkey) and Algeria's Ahmed Touba.
They've been solid defensively with just four goals conceded in their six competitive games so far this season. At the other end of the park, they have star power up front.
Striker Krzysztof Piatek is a Polish international who saw game time at the Euros during the summer, scoring in his country's 3-1 defeat to Austria.
He broke the resolve of Iberia 1999 of Georgia in the last round of Conference League qualifying with a goal to put the Turkish outfit 2-0 up on aggregate, while he also scored 17 times last season in the Super Lig.
Piatek opened Basaksehir's account in their 4-2 league victory over Alanyaspor on Sunday, and he'll fancy his chances against the Super Saints this evening.
João Figueiredo is another danger man for the Turks, with four goals already this season across European and domestic competition.
"For us to beat them over two legs, we'll have to play the performances of our lives," was Kenny's honest assessment of the task awaiting his players.
Kenny looking to continue European record
But the former Republic of Ireland manager has pedigree in European club competition.
Only himself, Stephen Bradley, Michael O'Neill and Filippo Giovagnoli have brought a club from the league into European group stage competition.
And Kenny's Dundalk performed admirably in the Europa League back in 2016, starting their campaign with a draw and a win. That victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv remains the only one ever achieved by a League of Ireland side in a European group stage.
The Lilywhites massively impressed domestically, but it was the results Kenny achieved on the continent that put him in the running for the national job, a role he held for over three years.
Pat's are giving him the time to build a team, having given the Tallaght native a five-year deal when he became manager earlier this season.
Kenny isn't happy with the fact they've to play a league fixture against his old club Dundalk at Oriel Park on Sunday between the two games against the Turks, calling it "insane" and "hard to fathom."
"We've seen Larne in Northern Ireland. They've made exceptions, they've cancelled league games so the club can prepare.
"That's advantageous, it gives you an opportunity. You're trying to peak and outperform yourself, not just get through a game.
"That's the difference. Players can get through three games in that period, but not play to a level that they need to.
"The league clubs, I understand their point of view because they have their own seasons to fight for. Whether that's pushing for Europe, or trying to avoid relegation, you can't blame any other club.
"You're looking for a decision from the FAI to give you a real opportunity."
The 'game of their lives' is what the Pat's players will have to produce, but they have impressed so far in Europe this season.
By his own standards it has been a poor season for Chris Forrester, but he has looked like he is getting back to his best in recent weeks.
Add to that the goal-scoring threats of Romal Palmer, Zack Elbouzedi and Jake Mulraney, and it's clear that there are goals in this Super Saints side. Mason Melia, still just 16 years of age, is a hot prospect with rumours abound throughout the summer that some big English and Scottish clubs were interested in signing him.
While Pat's propensity to concede goals means they have a minus scoring difference in the SSE Airtricity League, they've looked assured in Europe, coming through the tie with Sabah with two clean sheets.
Against a far better opposition, they'll have to repeat the trick at Tallaght Stadium. A big crowd is expected, with the West and East Stands already sold out, and limited tickets remaining for the North Stand.
Looking ahead, Pat's midfielder Jamie Lennon told RTÉ Sport: "We've probably been underdogs in both ties but we've come out on top, scored home and away and won home away against Sabah. We're in good form and are full of confidence at the moment but we know that what's coming will be our biggest test so far.
"It's a big challenge in Europe to be tactically switched on because teams are so good tactically and physically. It's the small details that the gaffer always talks about when it comes to European games and it's important that we take the information on board.
"To be fair, we have done and we've hurt teams on the break and in general play which has been a positive."
Expert view
Speaking on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Conan Byrne, who played over 200 times for the Saints, suggested that the European performances have shown what the team are capable of under Kenny.
"That dynamic wing play that Stephen Kenny has been renowned for over the years in League of Ireland has come to the fore now with St Pat's," he said.
"Bringing in Elbouzedi from AIK on one wing, and then keeping Mulraney out wide - which is a key impact that St Pat's needed to do - on the other combined for the goal to send them through [against Sabah].
"It's something that Pat's lacked, that creative spark in the final third, through the course of the season. Now they're unbeaten in six games, unbeaten in Europe in four, and it's a huge turnaround.
"There was talk of, 'where was the the bounce back when Stephen Kenny came in?' Well, here it is."
On the game itself, Byrne added: "They're coming up against unbelievable opposition in the next round. It'll be a huge task for them to get through.
"Stranger things have happened. I don't think many people expected Pat's to get through the Sabah tie and they did quite comfortably.
"With Stephen Kenny and his tactical astuteness, and how he sets up his teams in Europe - not just at Pat's but with Dundalk - you never know what might happen."
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