Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Galatasarayvs.Fenerbahce

sportsmole.co.uk, 17 May 2024, 17:28
Galatasaray have the chance to seal the Turkish Super Lig title when they host arch-rivals and closest challengers Fenerbahce at Rams Park on Sunday.

The home side only needs to avoid defeat to win the league, while also aiming to become the first Turkish club to reach 100 points in a season.

Match preview

Galatasaray extended their winning run in the Super Lig to a remarkable 17 matches after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Fatih Karagumruk last Sunday.

The Lions fell behind when Ryan Mendes found the net for Karagumruk, but restored parity in first-half stoppage time courtesy of Baris Yilmaz before Dries Mertens put them ahead in the second half.

With seven minutes remaining, Marcao equalised for Karagumruk, but Berkan Kutlu snatched all three points for Gala with a goal in the 90th minute.

With 99 points, Gala have already broken the record for most points in a 38-game Turkish Super Lig season. They could even make it even better by becoming the first-ever team in Turkish history to reach 100 points in a season.

The Lions will be crowned champions this Sunday if they avoid defeat to Fenerbahce. A run of three unbeaten league meetings against their arch-rivals will leave them confident of achieving the desired result this weekend.

Fenerbahce were ahead for several weeks this season but they eventually faltered, losing top spot to Galatasaray and have been unable to reclaim it since.

Ismail Kartal's men dropped points in two of their last five matches, falling further behind. However, they pushed Gala's coronation further with a 3-0 victory over Kayserispor last time out.

The Yellow Canaries know that their chances of dethroning their rivals as champions are now slim. The prospect of seeing Gala confirm the championship win against them could be a bitter pill to swallow as they head into Sunday's clash.

However, the last time the visitors came to Rams Park, they lost 3-0. They have also lost two of the last three league meetings against the Lions, while drawing the last one.

It is important to note that the last time both sides met competitively was in the Super Cup last month. In that match, Fenerbahce fielded a reserve team and walked off the pitch after Galatasaray scored, forfeiting the game.

Galatasaray Turkish Super Lig form:

W

W

W

W

W

W

Fenerbahce Turkish Super Lig form:

W

W

D

W

D

W

Fenerbahce form (all competitions):

W

L

D

W

D

W

Team News

Galatasaray have a fully fit squad ahead of Sunday's clash as no injury or suspension has been reported.

Mauro Icardi leads the golden boot race with 23 goals, having a three-goal advantage over the closest challenger and he will be hoping to add more when he leads the line on Sunday.

The trio of Mertens, Yilmaz and Hakim Ziyech are expected to provide support for the striker once again, as they have done in the last four matches.

Fenerbahce will be without Rodrigo Becao as he is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

They will also be without Ismail Yuksek, Ryan Kent and Irfan Can Kahveci who are all sidelined with injuries.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Muslera; Kohn, Nelsson, Kutlu, Ayhan; Torreira, Demirbay; Ziyech, Mertens, Yilmaz; Icardi

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Livakovic; Kadioglu, Soyuncu, Muldur, Oosterwolde; Fred, Djiku; Tadic, Szymanski, Under; Dzeko

We say: Galatasaray 2-1 Fenerbahce

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Monaco vs. Brest (Friday, 6.00pm) The first game in Ligue 1 since the final international break of 2024 will see Monaco welcome Brest to the Stade Louis II on Friday night. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening.