Turkish Super Lig preview: Top four fight heats up
Published:
While most football continues to remain on thesubstitute’s bench for a few weeks, the action over in Turkey continues.
The Turkish Super Lig is scheduled to go ahead with a fullround of games this weekend, albeit behind closed doors.
But assuming the games do go ahead, we’ve picked out all thekey stats – and odds of course – right here …
The current standings
It’s tight at the top with just eight rounds of the seasonremaining.
Just four points separate the top four. Trabzonspor are topon goal difference – Crystal Palace loanee Alexsander Sorloth has fired in 19league goals for the side – but Istanbul Basaksehir are currently the form outfitwithin the leading pack.
Basaksehir, runners-up twice in the past three seasons, arethree points ahead of reigning champions and Turkish behemoths Galatasaray,with surprise package Sivasspor still very much in contention in fourth despitetwo defeats in five games.
This weekend’s fixtures
Friday
Fenerbahce, struggling to get on terms with the leaders thisseason, get the weekend underway at home to bottom side Kayserispor at 17:00 onFriday night.
The 19-time champions have failed to win their last seven Super Lig games, but are 2/7 favourites for a much-needed three points.
Saturday
Four games are set to go ahead on Saturday, including fourth-place Sivasspor at home to Denizlispor. The Sivas side are the only team with an unbeaten home record this term, and they’re 1/2 for another three points on home soil.
Saturday’s evening game sees Besiktas host Antalyaspor. LikeFenerbahce, Besiktas are slightly off the pace this season, but a run of onedefeat in seven means they’re not out of title contention yet.
They sit fifth, nine points adrift, and are 4/9 to continue their recent upswing in form with three more points.
Sunday
We could see plenty of drama on Sunday, with three of thetop four in action.
Galatasaray are 2/3 for a win away at Rizespor. Fatih Terim’s have been on a blistering run of late, racking up with eight wins and two draws in their last 10 league games.
That could up the pressure on Trabzonspor and Baskesehirwhen they play later in the day.
Trabzonspor are 11/10 for a big three points, butthey’re away at eight-placed outfit Gostepe. The Izmir side could be a danger,having already beaten Galatasaray and Besiktas at home this term.
Baseksehir might not have it so easy either, when they hostsixth-placed Alanyaspor. Last season’s runners-up are 3/4 in the matchbetting, but the visitors have only lost one of their last five away leaguegames – and they boast the second tightest defence in the Super Lig.
Full fixtures:
Fenerbahce v Kayserispor – 17:00 Friday
Gaziantep v Ankaragucu – 11:00 Saturday
Sivasspor v Denizilspor – 14:00 Saturday
Yeni Malatyspor v Kasimpasa – 14:00 Saturday
Besiktas v Antalyspor – 17:00 Saturday
Genclerbirligi v Konyaspor – 10:30 Sunday
Caykur Rezespor v Galatasaray – 13:00 Sunday
Goztepe AS v Trabzonspor – 16:00 Sunday
Istanbul Baseksehir v Alanyaspor – 16:00 Sunday
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
