Fenerbahçe vs Gaziantep – News and Probable Lineups

After suffering an unexpected first league defeat of the season, Fenerbahce will be eager to quickly recover as they host Gaziantep FK at Sukru Saracoglu on Tuesday evening. This match comes in a crucial period for the Turkish Super Lig title contenders.

The Yellow Canaries, now trailing league leaders Galatasaray by seven points following their recent setback, aim to narrow that margin to four since Galatasaray will not play this week.

Match overview

Fenerbahce has faced a challenging couple of weeks, finding themselves in a familiar situation reminiscent of last season and the one before, again pursuing reigning champions Galatasaray.

The Yellow Canaries were unable to take advantage when the leaders faltered earlier this month, struggling with consistency and securing only one victory from their last four league fixtures – a hard-fought 3-2 win against Samsunspor.

Previously unbeaten in the league, the Kadikoy club relinquished that status dramatically on Friday, suffering a 2-0 defeat to the bottom-placed Fatih Karagumruk, a result that reverberated throughout Turkish football.

This loss has also raised concerns regarding head coach Domenico Tedesco’s position, prompting the club’s president and board to hold an urgent meeting to assess the team’s performance.

The defeat increases the stakes as they prepare for Tuesday’s match against Gaziantep, but history heavily favors the hosts, who have triumphed in the last 11 encounters between the two clubs across all competitions.

However, if there were ever a time for Gaziantep to end that losing streak, it might be now, particularly as the Falcons arrive in Istanbul during one of their strong phases this season.

In their most recent match, Gaziantep secured a remarkable 4-1 victory away against Antalyaspor, with Mohamed Bayo netting twice, while Kacper Kozlowski and Drissa Camara also contributed to the scoreline.

This win marked Gaziantep’s unbeaten streak in the league to three matches, following draws with Fatih Karagumruk and Samsunspor.

Nonetheless, this will be the third meeting between the teams this season, and Gaziantep has faced heavy defeats in both prior encounters, suffering identical 4-0 losses in the league earlier in October and once more in the Turkish Cup just two weeks ago.

Team News

Fenerbahce will face this fixture with several important players unavailable, including Edson Alvarez, who is sidelined following ankle surgery, and Nelson Semedo, who is out because of an inner knee ligament injury.

The hosts also lack the attacking prowess of Anderson Talisca and the defensive presence of Caglar Soyuncu, as both are recuperating from partial muscle tears.

First-choice goalkeeper Ederson will return from a one-match suspension incurred during the defeat to Karagumruk and is set to resume his position between the posts for this match.

Gaziantep will once again be without Salem M’Bakata due to injury, and Ali Mevran Ablak also continues to be unavailable.

Additionally, Arda Kizildag, Christopher Lungoyi, and Nazim Sangare are all suspended after picking up yellow cards, while Badou Ndiaye and Kevin Rodrigues are uncertain due to injury worries.

Fenerbahce probable starting XI:

Ederson; Muldur, Demir, Oosterwolde, Mercan; Guendouzi, Kante, Yuksek, Akturkoglu, Fred; Cherif

Gaziantep probable starting XI:

Bozan; Perez, Mujakic, Sanuc, Abena, Sorescu; Gassama, Ozcicek, Kozlowski; Maxim, Bayo

Fenerbahce will be under significant pressure following their surprising defeat last week, and playing at the Ulker Stadyumu should provide them with a prime opportunity to respond.

Gaziantep arrives in solid form and demonstrated their attacking capabilities in their recent victory, though their historical record against the Yellow Canaries is notably poor. With greater squad depth and home advantage, the hosts are expected to possess enough quality to regain momentum in the title race.