Istanbulvs.Goztepe SK

The Grey Owls have not won a game in close to two months, playing 10 matches in that period across all competitions, losing five and drawing five.

Match preview

Istanbul Basaksehir remained winless in this season's Conference League after a 1-1 draw with Moldovan side Petrocub Hincesti on Thursday, leaving them 32nd in the table with just two points.

It has been a similar case for the Grey Owls on the domestic scene who lost 3-0 away at Gaziantep in their last league game, taking their winless run in the Super Lig to six matches.

In this winless run, Cagdas Atan's side have lost and drawn three matches each, while they have won just a quarter of their 12 league matches, leaving them eighth in the table with 16 points.

Next in line for Basaksehir is a home game against Goztepe, a side that they have lost to in their last three Super Lig meetings and have not won against in the last four.

However, the Grey Owls won the last competitive encounter between both sides, a 3-1 win at home in the Turkish Cup in December 2022.

Goztepe won two games in a row for only the second time this season after an impressive 4-2 win away at Besiktas last Sunday, taking them to fifth in the table with 21 points, one point behind fourth-placed Eyupspor who have played one extra game.

Stanimir Stoilov's side conceded two goals in the opening 10 minutes, but they successfully restored parity before half-time with goals from Malcom Bokele and Taha Altikardes.

Goztepe took the lead for the first time in the game when Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana scored in the 82nd minute, but they were reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Juan was sent off, but that did not stop Stoilov's team as they added a fourth one minute into the stoppage time via David Tijanic.

With 23 goals scored, Goztepe have the third-best attack in the Super Lig which has been the biggest catalyst for their top-four charge, and winning on the road for the first time against Besiktas could serve as a bigger encouragement heading into Saturday's clash.

Istanbul Basaksehir Turkish Super Lig form:

D

L

D

L

D

L

Istanbul Basaksehir form (all competitions):

D

L

D

D

L

D

Goztepe SK Turkish Super Lig form:

W

L

W

L

W

W

Team News

Head coach Atan revealed to the press that Berkay Ozcan will no longer play for the club just before Basaksehir's Europa League clash on Thursday.

The coach is expected to have every other player back, but all eyes will be on Krzysztof Piatek, who has scored six of the Grey Owls' 17 goals in the Super Lig this season.

Brazilian forward Juan was sent off in Goztepe's win against Besiktas, ruling him out of Saturday's clash.

Kubilay Kanatsizkus is nursing an ankle injury that makes him doubtful, while Isaac Solet is ruled out of the season with an ACL injury.

Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:

Sengezer; Duarte, Gureler, Opoku, Lima; Pelkas, Ozdemir, Ozcan; Figueiredo, Piatek, Gurler

Goztepe SK possible starting lineup:

Lis; Koybasi, Bokele, Heliton, Altikardes, Bayrak; Matsuki, Dennis, Tijanic; Fofana, Romulo

We say: Istanbul Basaksehir 1-1 Goztepe SK

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