A clash between a title favourite and a relegation candidate will unfold at Mersin Stadium when Hatayspor host Galatasaray on Friday to kick off the second round of matches in the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season.
Both sides faced off on the opening weekend of this campaign, with two late goals from Mauro Icardi and Michy Batshuayi securing a comeback 2-1 victory for Cimbom on home soil.
Match preview
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Hatayspor will be led by their third full-time manager of the season – Murat Sahin, who steps into his first head coach role after serving as an assistant in the past, aiming to steer the team clear of relegation in what is shaping up to be a challenging season.
Yilmaz Bal's brief interim tenure ended after two consecutive 2-1 defeats—first to Fenerbahce in their opening match of the year, and more recently against Caykur Rizespor last Saturday.
The Star of the South are enduring a dire run of form, winless in seven straight league matches and managing just one victory in their last 18 Super Lig outings, a dismal record that leaves them second-bottom in the table with nine points, a daunting 11 points adrift of safety.
However, a strong performance and any positive result on Friday could reignite their survival hopes, and encouragingly for the hosts, they boast an impressive home record against the visitors, winning four of the last five encounters at Mersin Stadium, including a 2-1 triumph in their most recent meeting at this venue.
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Meanwhile, Galatasaray are battling external distractions stemming from Fenerbahce's accusations of refereeing bias, but despite the noise, Cimbom remain focused on defending their Super Lig crown.
Okan Buruk's side overcame poor weather conditions and a resilient Istanbul Basaksehir team, previously unbeaten at home, with a Baris Yilmaz brace sealing a 2-1 victory, marking his ninth and tenth of the season, making him the club's joint-top scorer alongside Victor Osimhen.
Following the match, Fenerbahce issued a fiery statement, alleging that the game had been "gifted" to Galatasaray, claiming VAR had favoured Basaksehir, and calling on the Turkish Football Federation to intervene.
Galatasaray responded with a defiant statement, saying: "In spite of those who are kept in the race by the power of VAR... the immoral people who believe their own lies; in the end, the good guys will win again!"
Despite the off-field drama, Galatasaray's flawless away record of eight wins in eight matches underscores their dominance this season – however, a trip to a historically tricky ground adds another layer of intrigue to this contest.
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Team News
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Hatayspor will be without midfielder Jonathan Okoronkwo, who remains sidelined with a foot injury until next month.
Cengiz Demir is suspended following the red card he received against Adana Demirspor, and goalkeeper Erce Kardesler will also miss the game due to accumulated yellow cards.
Galatasaray continue to cope with the absence of Icardi, who is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.
Midfielder Gabriel Sara has joined Icardi on the sidelines, ruled out until next month with a hamstring issue.
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Bekaj; Alici, Calvo, Kilama, Corecki; Parmak; Diack, Pedro, Boutobba, Fernandes; Aboubakar
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Ayhan, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Demirbay; Akgun, Mertens, Yilmaz; Osimhen
We say: Hatayspor 1-3 Galatasaray
Hatayspor's home record suggests they might pose a challenge, but Galatasaray's flawless away form and superior firepower make them favorites.
We expect a tightly contested game, with Cimbom edging it, fueled by firepower and determination to maintain their title defense.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
