Two Turkish Super Lig sides struggling to meet their respective ambitions face off on Saturday as Istanbul Basaksehir welcome Bodrumspor to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.
The hosts sit seventh with 33 points, six adrift of the top four, leaving their European hopes hanging by a thread, while the visitors are in 17th place with 17 points, also six points from safety, as they battle to avoid relegation.
Match preview
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Basaksehir were held to a frustrating goalless draw against Antalyaspor last time out, in a match where neither side managed a single shot on target.
It was a stark contrast to their prior attacking displays in recent weeks, having scored four goals in each of their three previous outings across all competitions.
However, despite just two wins in their last five matches, Cagdas Atan's side remain within reach of the European spots, which leave the manager with some hope.
The Grey Owls will be optimistic about returning to winning ways, given their strong home form—three consecutive victories across all competitions—and the level of opposition.
The hosts also hold the upper hand in this fixture, having secured a 1-0 victory in their first-ever top-flight meeting earlier this season, and their only other clash, in the Turkish Cup, ended in a penalty shootout defeat.
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Bodrumspor, on the other hand, played out a goalless draw against Goztepe last time out in what was Jose Morais's first game in charge.
However, their struggles persist, with the Mugla-based side now winless in seven league matches [0W, 3D, 4L], leaving them on course for the drop.
Morais faces an uphill battle to steer Bodrum away from an immediate return to the second division, and fixing their dismal away form will be crucial.
The visitors have collected just five points on the road this season—the second-fewest in the league, and since their only away league victory against Hatayspor in September 2024, Bodrumspor have failed to win in eight consecutive trips, recording two draws and six defeats.
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Team News
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Basaksehir will be without the injured Onur Ergun, while midfielders Olivier Kemen and Miguel Crespo are suspended, paving the way for Umut Gunes and Omer Beyaz to start in midfield.
Patryk Szysz is sidelined through injury, as are new signings Christopher Operi and Festy Ebosele.
Meanwhile, Krzysztof Piatek, the league's top scorer with 18 goals, will be eager to get back on the scoresheet after a quiet outing last time out.
For Bodrumspor, both Mustafa Erdilman and Haqi Osman are ruled out due to injury, with the latter expected to return in early March.
Suleyman Ozdamar remains sidelined with an ankle injury, while Tunahan Akpinar is out with a ligament issue, with no definitive return date set for either player.
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Sengezer; Duarte, Opoku, Ba; Turuc, Beyaz, Ozdemir, Gunes, Sahiner; Piatek, Keny
Bodrumspor possible starting lineup:
Sousa; Celustka, Ajeti, Aytemur, Sen; Antalyali, Fredy; Okita, Bardhi, Seferi; Puscas
We say: Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 Bodrumspor
Basaksehir's strong home form and superior quality makes them overwhelming favourites against a struggling Bodrumspor side.
The visitors' poor away record suggests another tough outing, while Piatek will be eager to add to his tally, and we expect a controlled performance from the hosts, with a comfortable victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
