Resuming their Turkish Super Lig campaign after the World Cup break, third-placed Adana Demirspor welcome Fatih Karagumruk to Yeni Adana Stadyumu on Sunday.
Both clubs returned to competitive action in the Turkish Cup this week, and while Andrea Pirlo's Karagumruk progressed, Vincenzo Montella's men were eliminated after an extra-time thriller.
Match preview
Having avoided defeat in each of their last 12 games in all competitions, Adana Demirspor's comeback following Qatar 2022 saw them suffer a first reverse outside of friendlies since the end of August.
They fought back from two goals down to cup opponents Rizespor on Thursday, and an 85th-minute own goal by their visitors took the teams' fifth round tie to an extra 30 minutes. Despite Yusuf Sari's late strike, Adana Demir were ultimately beaten 4-3 at the end of a pulsating encounter, and any dreams of lifting a first Turkish Cup were brought to an end.
Nonetheless, after closing out the first phase of their league campaign with a goalless draw away to Alanyaspor, the Blue Lightning have lost just one of 13 Super Lig fixtures this season; leaving them only five points behind pace-setters Fenerbahce.
That gap could well have been closed had Montella's men not embarked on a streak of five draws from their last six league games, but they remain unbeaten on home soil this term in the Turkish top flight.
After losing their first two friendly fixtures earlier this month, a subsequent win was followed by successive draws with Galatasaray and Montella's old club Sampdoria, so the ex-Milan coach will want to arrest his team's dip in form on Sunday.
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Fatih Karagumruk also took one point from their final game before the football world turned its gaze to Qatar, and a 3-3 draw with Gaziantep required great character to battle back from behind on two occasions: Rayyan Baniya bagged a brace and Jean Kouassi netted the third.
Andrea Pirlo's side returned to action in midweek, with a comprehensive 3-0 cup win over minnows Usakspor, but will resume their league campaign only separated from the relegation zone by goal difference.
Just three Super Lig wins since the legendary playmaker and former Juventus coach was appointed have caused concern at the capital club - though they did win two of their mid-season friendlies and drew the other against Besiktas before progressing to the Turkish Cup's last 16, where they will face local rivals Istanbul Basaksehir next month.
Before their trip to Adana, this season, the Kara Kirmizi have won just once away from home in the top flight, while conceding goals at a rate of more than two per game.
Undoubtedly, Pirlo will expect more from an experienced Karagumruk squad during the second part of his first Super Lig campaign - starting against his former Azzurri colleague Montella on Sunday.
Team News
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Following his dismissal in Adana Demir's final league match before the break, Moroccan midfielder Younes Belhanda will miss Sunday's match due to suspension, though his former Galatasaray teammate Henry Onyekuru is expected to start up front after returning from injury.
Last season at parent club Olympiacos, the latter failed to find the net in 14 games, but has scored four times in 12 league appearances since returning to Turkey on loan.
In Belhanda's absence, Vincenzo Montella may promote Britt Assombalonga to his first XI, while 38-year-old Gokhan Inler contends with Benjamin Stambouli for a spot in central midfield.
Meanwhile, Andrea Pirlo should turn to compatriot Rayyan Baniya again, following the Bologna-born centre-back's double strike last time out in the league.
Another Italian defender, Davide Biraschi, faces competition from veteran Caner Erkin and German midfielder Levent Mercan, the latter of whom impressed during Fatih Karagumruk's mid-season training camp and has been tried at left-back during recent friendlies.
Fabio Borini and Mbaye Diagne will contest the lone striker's spot, with support most likely coming from Ebrima Colley and Jean Kouassi on the flanks. New signings Adem Ljajic and Sofiane Feghouli may also feature at some stage.
Adana Demirspor possible starting lineup:
Ozbir; Svensson, Akaydin, Guler, Rodrigues; Stambouli, Ndiaye; Akintola, Ekbaba, Onyekuru; Assombalonga
Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:
Viviano; Dursun, Dresevic, Baniya, Erkin; Shukurov, Durmaz; Colley, Ozdoyev, Kouassi; Diagne
We say: Adana Demirspor 2-1 Fatih Karagumruk
Though they have been frustrated by an inability to turn draws into wins, Adana Demirspor are tough to beat in the Super Lig, and have so far gone unbeaten at home. As Karagumruk have yet to convince under Pirlo's leadership, it may be the hosts that prevail as Turkey's top flight returns.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
