Galatasaray is all set to face Istanbulspor at Ali Sami Yen Stadium on Thursday, and it seems like an uneven match in the Super Lig.
Match Preview
Galatasaray, with a remarkable 14-game winning streak at home, recently closed the point gap with Fenerbahce by winning 5-1 against Trabzonspor.
Thanks to Wilfried Zaha’s outstanding performance, scoring twice and assisting another, Galatasaray is now tied with Fenerbahce at the top.
Fenerbahce’s superior goal difference might be hard to catch, but Galatasaray hopes to capitalize on their excellent form while keeping an eye on Fenerbahce’s potential missteps. Their upcoming matches against lower-ranked teams favor them.
Facing Istanbulspor, currently at the bottom, Galatasaray anticipates another victory. Istanbulspor, suffering from a three-point deduction, is still 12 points away from safety despite recent improvements.
Istanbulspor managed back-to-back clean sheets and secured five points in their last three games. Although they won their first away game since February, defeating Kayserispor 1-0, their survival chances remain slim.
Galatasaray’s recent attacking prowess, evident in their 5-1 win, suggests a routine victory against Istanbulspor.
Team News
Galatasaray will miss Hakim Ziyech and Cedric Bakambu due to their Africa Cup of Nations participation. Abdulkerim Bardakci’s suspension adds to their defensive woes.
Wilfried Zaha, after an impressive display, is expected to retain his spot in the starting XI. Sergio Oliveira’s absence leaves Lucas Torreira and Kerem Demirbay in the midfield.
Istanbulspor welcomes back Vefa Temel from suspension. Goalkeeper Alp Arda, who replaced David Jensen, aims to continue his good run with consecutive clean sheets.
Giannelli Imbula is likely to be absent, and Istanbulspor’s goalkeeper change may not be enough to withstand Galatasaray’s attack.
Possible Lineups
Galatasaray:
Muslera;
Boey, Nelsson, Sanchez, B A Yilmaz;
Demirbay, Torreira;
Zaha, Mertens, Akturkoglu;
Icardi
Istanbulspor: (3-5-2)
Arda;
Erdogan, Yesil, Deli;
Sambissa, Mamadou, Vorobjovas, Loshaj, Yasar;
Ndao, Ethemi
Prediction: Galatasaray 3-0 Istanbulspor
Galatasaray’s recent dominant performance suggests a routine victory against Istanbulspor, who faces a challenging battle to escape the bottom.
