Galatasaray will aim to put a difficult week behind them as they welcome Konyaspor to Rams Park for a Turkish Super Lig clash on Saturday.
Cimbom have endured back-to-back draws in all competitions, squandering numerous chances in both matches, a situation that has left fans visibly frustrated.
Match preview
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Tensions are running high at Galatasaray, with supporters voicing their dissatisfaction after two lackluster performances in the Super Lig and Europa League.
Okan Buruk's side saw their lead at the top of the table cut to six points following a disappointing 1-1 draw at Hatayspor – in that match, they fell behind after a sluggish first half and failed to capitalise on an xG of 3.52 in the second half despite dominating chances.
The frustration boiled over on Tuesday when the Turkish champions threw away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Dynamo Kyiv at home in the Europa League, with the fans booing goalkeeper Fernando Muslera as he exited the pitch, reflecting the growing discontent.
Heading into Saturday's clash with Konyaspor, Galatasaray's players know that anything less than a victory could escalate tensions further – however, complacency remains a concern, as they have drawn their last two home matches across all competitions.
Encouragingly for Cimbom, they boast a dominant record against Saturday's opposition at home, winning 21 and drawing four of their 25 encounters in all competitions.
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Konyaspor will hope to capitalise on the unsettled atmosphere at Rams Park and aim for a historic first win at the venue.
The Anatolian Eagles were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw with Kasimpasa last weekend, failing to hold the lead three times, a result that extended their winless streak in the Super Lig to five games (3D, 2L).
After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, finishing just one point above the drop zone, Konyaspor could face a similar battle if their poor form continues.
An away clash with the league leaders is a daunting task considering all factors, but they will aim to use this match as preparation for next month's Turkish Cup clash at the same venue.
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Team News
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Galatasaray will be without star striker Mauro Icardi, who is sidelined for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.
Midfielder Gabriel Sara is also out until next month with a hamstring issue, while there is uncertainty over Muslera's involvement following his reaction to fan criticism in the Europa League.
Konyaspor will be missing the trio of Pedrinho, Filip Damjanovic and Josip Calusic due to injuries.
Blaz Kramer, who netted twice in the draw with Kasimpasa, is expected to lead the line once again.
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Guvenc; Ayhan, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Kutlu; Akgun, Mertens, Yilmaz; Osimhen
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Slowik; Boranijasevic, Demirbag, Bazoer, Guilherme; Jevtovic; Tasci, Ulgun, Ibrahimoglu, Erdogan; Kramer
We say: Galatasaray 3-1 Konyaspor
Galatasaray's issue is not a lack of goalscoring chances, but failure to take those chances, and with firepower available to them, the floodgates could open if the players find the right composure.
With this in mind, the hosts remain clear favourites for this clash regardless of their conversion rate and defensive complacency in recent times.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
