Galatasaray continue their march towards another Turkish Super Lig crown when they travel to the Black Sea coast for a clash with an in-form Trabzonspor side in one of the standout fixtures of round 35.
Cimbom are eight points clear at the top with four matches left to play, leaving them with a chance to rotate some of their best legs for this one.
Match preview
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Okan Buruk‘s side kept the pressure firmly on title rivals Fenerbahce with a commanding 4-1 win over Sivasspor last weekend, a result that opened up an eight-point lead at the summit over Fenerbahce, who lost to Besiktas the following day.
That win not only reaffirmed Galatasaray’s grip on top spot but also showcased their attacking prowess, having now scored four or more in three straight matches across all competitions.
Victor Osimhen once again stole the headlines with a clinical brace, taking his tally to a league-high 24 goals and career-best 33 in all competitions.
Cimbom now have a potential league and cup double still within reach, though the trip to Trabzon presents one of their toughest remaining fixtures, the pressure has eased slightly thanks to their points cushion.
Galatasaray have dominated this fixture in recent times, winning each of the last four meetings, including a thrilling 4-3 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
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Trabzonspor, meanwhile, have enjoyed a significant revival under Fatih Tekke, and their 1-1 draw at Kasimpasa last time out extended their unbeaten run in the league to four matches.
Now sitting comfortably in mid-table, the Black Sea Storm are unrecognisable from the side that flirted with relegation earlier in the campaign, with Tekke’s arrival bringing in much-needed stability.
With the cup final against Galatasaray on the horizon, this encounter serves as both a dress rehearsal and a chance to lay down a marker and they will be counting on their recent impressive form at Papara Park.
The hosts have four consecutive home wins across all competitions, giving them reasons to believe they can trouble the champions-elect.
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Team News
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Trabzonspor’s Stefan Savic is sidelined through injury, meaning Okay Yokuslu is expected to drop into the back line and partner Arseniy Batagov at centre-back.
Ozan Tufan will take up a role in midfield in place of the injured Tim Jabol-Folcarelli, and on a more positive note, Pedro Malheiro is available again after serving a suspension and should reclaim his spot in the starting XI.
Galatasaray will remain without Mauro Icardi, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury, ruling the Argentine striker out for the rest of the season and beyond.
Roland Sallai, who filled in at right-back against Sivasspor and impressed with his composure and attacking output, is expected to retain his place, while Elias Jelert is also sidelined.
Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Eskihellac, Batahov, Yokuslu, Malheiro; Lundstram, Tufan; Zubkov, Sikan, Dragus; Banza
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Elmali; Torreira, Lemina; Akgun, Morata, Yilmaz; Osimhen
We say: Trabzonspor 1-1 Galatasaray
Both teams are expected to approach this cautiously with the cup final coming up in a couple of days, but we still expect a tight game due to the rivalry.
While Galatasaray have been dominant recently, Trabzonspor’s improved defence under Tekke, coupled with a desire to challenge the league leaders, should ensure they earn a share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
