Preview: Fatih Karagumruk vs Fenerbahce – prediction, group information, lineups

Second-placed Fenerbahce may quickly minimize the hole to the Turkish Super Lig summit once they journey to face basement aspect Fatih Karagumruk in one of many opening fixtures of matchday 25 on Friday.

The Yellow Canaries sit 4 factors behind leaders Galatasaray, who host Istanbul Basaksehir a day later, whereas the Black Reds are eight factors adrift of security with 9 matches left to play.

Match preview

Having performed second fiddle to two-time defending champions Galatasaray within the final two Super Lig campaigns, Fenerbahce discover themselves in an analogous scenario this time period, regardless of being the one aspect within the division but to undergo a defeat.

In a title cost that has been riddled with expensive stalemates, the Yellow Canaries lately failed to select up most factors on a weekend when the league leaders misplaced at Konyaspor, whereas one other draw towards Antalyaspor of their subsequent top-flight outing widened the deficit to the summit.

However, Domenico Tedesco’s males had been third time fortunate final weekend – not with out late drama as soon as once more – having produced a spirited comeback from a objective all the way down to safe a 3-2 victory over Samsunspor, with Nene Dorgeles netting an 89th-minute equaliser earlier than Sidiki Cherif struck a stoppage-time winner.

Fenerbahce have now gone 5 matches unbeaten throughout all competitions since their first-leg defeat within the Europa League playoff tie towards Nottingham Forest; the run features a 2-1 victory within the return fixture on the City Ground – which in the end proved inadequate to keep away from elimination – in addition to a 4-0 win at Gaziantep to progress to the Turkish Cup quarter-finals.

That sequence means the Yellow Canaries have scored not less than two objectives in every of their final 4 outings, though they’ve additionally conceded a number of occasions of their two league matches throughout that spell, a problem Tedesco can be eager to deal with forward of Friday’s journey.

However, current historical past could supply encouragement for Fenerbahce, who’ve prevailed in every of the final 5 aggressive conferences with this weekend’s hosts regardless of conceding in all of them, together with a 2-1 victory on this season’s reverse fixture.

A file of eight wins in 13 league video games (D5) on the highway ought to be sufficient to supply an additional enhance for the Yellow Canaries, who boast the perfect return of any travelling aspect within the division.

© Imago / IMAGO / Aleksandar Djorovic

Meanwhile, solely Kasimpasa (eight) have picked up fewer factors on their very own turf than Karagumruk (9) within the Super Lig marketing campaign, providing little in the way in which of optimism for Friday’s match.

Since returning to the highest flight this season, the Black Reds have struggled, with uncommon victories interrupted by lengthy winless runs, and have misplaced 17 of their 25 league video games (W3, D5), probably the most within the division.

Currently with out victory of their final 4 Super Lig matches (D2, L2), Aleksandar Stanojevic’s males performed out a 1-1 draw at Gaziantep final weekend, with ahead Serginho netting a second-half equaliser simply 4 minutes after coming off the bench.

The outcome noticed the Black Reds fail to construct on their home cup victory towards lower-division aspect Fethiyespor, which stands as Karagumruk’s solely success of their final 5 video games throughout all competitions, whereas a 1-0 overcome Antalyaspor on February 7 stays their solely win within the final 13 league outings (D4, L8).

 

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig type:

Fatih Karagumruk type (all competitions):

Fenerbahce Turkish Super Lig type:

Fenerbahce type (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / ZUMA Press Wire

Karagumruk may very well be with out defender Davide Biraschi, who was pressured off final day out resulting from a hamstring concern, whereas ahead Joao Camacho will proceed his restoration from a knee damage that has stored him out since November.

Meanwhile, Turkish centre-back Anil Cinar is again in competition after serving a suspension final day out, and Serginho can be pushing for a return to the beginning XI following his impactful show from the bench final weekend.

As for Fenerbahce, first-choice goalkeeper Ederson will play no half on Friday as he serves a one-match ban for an accumulation of bookings, that means Mert Gunok is predicted to be between the sticks.

The guests can even stay with out defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez, who has been sidelined with an ankle concern since early February, whereas full-back Nelson Semedo shouldn’t be anticipated to return earlier than April as he recovers from a knee-related damage.

Meanwhile, ahead Anderson Talisca and centre-back Caglar Soyuncu each stay out for a pair extra weeks resulting from muscle issues.

Fatih Karagumruk doable beginning lineup:

Grbic; Esgaio, Kurucuk, Lichnovsky, Mladenovic; Kranevitter, Elmaz; Verde, Ozcan, Larsson; Kalayci

Fenerbahce doable beginning lineup:

Gunok; Muldur, Demir, Oosterwolde, Mercan; Guendouzi, Kante; Musaba, Asensio, Akturkoglu; Cherif

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-3 Fenerbahce

Signs of resilience are starting to emerge for Karagumruk, who’ve gone back-to-back matches with out defeat, though these outcomes got here towards lower-division opposition and an out-of-form Gaziantep aspect.

However, dealing with Fenerbahce presents a totally totally different degree of problem, and we count on the guests to assert all three factors to pile stress on league leaders Galatasaray, although objectives at each ends stay seemingly given the Yellow Canaries’ defensive frailties.

 

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