Galatasaray vs Istanbul – News and Probable Lineups

After a hard-fought victory in the Champions League on Tuesday, Galatasaray will shift their focus back to the Turkish Super Lig as they welcome Istanbul Basaksehir to Rams Park on Saturday, aiming to keep their position at the top of the standings.

Okan Buruk’s squad clinched a 1-0 win against Liverpool in the first leg of the round of 16, while they currently hold a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce in the league table.

Match overview

Mario Lemina emerged as the unexpected hero on Tuesday night, netting the crucial goal just seven minutes into Galatasaray’s Champions League encounter with Liverpool.

The midfielder scored with a close-range header after Victor Osimhen rose highest to redirect a corner back across goal, securing a vital 1-0 lead at a lively Rams Park.

This result gives the Lions a slim but critical advantage heading into the second leg at Anfield on March 18 and, more importantly, confirms that Buruk’s team is hitting their stride at the right moment, marking their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions.

Prior to that European success, Galatasaray solidified their position at the top of the Super Lig with an impressive win in the Istanbul derby against Besiktas, as Osimhen’s strong header in the 39th minute proved pivotal in a hard-fought 1-0 triumph at Tupras Stadium.

This win pushed the league leaders to 61 points with nine matches left, and they now face another Istanbul rival in Basaksehir, this time at home.

Interestingly, both teams have been the most in-form sides in the league in recent weeks — over the last 10 matches, they have both amassed the joint-highest points total in the league with 25 points each, and they also share the best record in the last five fixtures with 12 points each.

Despite Basaksehir’s promising form, history heavily favors the hosts in this fixture, as Galatasaray remains unbeaten in their last eight encounters across all competitions, winning seven and drawing one, and they have already overcome the visitors twice this season, once in the league and once in the Turkish Cup.

Basaksehir’s last win in this fixture was in a cup match in 2023, with their most recent league victory over Galatasaray dating back to 2019 — although that win occurred at Rams Park.

The Grey Owls may hold some confidence given their current momentum; however, it is noteworthy that their only three defeats in all competitions since December have come in high-stakes matches — against Galatasaray and Trabzonspor in the cup, and against Besiktas in the league.

Nuri Sahin’s side now confronts another challenging test as they strive to close the four-point gap to fourth-placed Besiktas, who currently hold the final European qualification spot.

Basaksehir enters this match after a 2-1 win against Goztepe in their most recent league game, showcasing an impressive clinical efficiency against one of the league’s best-organized defenses, with goals from Omer Ali Sahiner in the 13th minute and Ivan Brnic in the 69th sealing the win either side of the visitors’ equalizer.

Team News

Galatasaray will be without Metehan Baltaci, who is serving a suspension due to an ongoing legal issue.

Defender Abdulkerim Bardakci is also unavailable after receiving a suspension for yellow card accumulation during the recent derby win over Besiktas.

Young defender Arda Unyay continues to recover from a muscle injury, while Leroy Sane will be absent from this match due to a suspension following a red card he received against Besiktas.

Osimhen is set to be the main attacking threat for the hosts, having been directly involved in 12 goals in his last eight outings for Galatasaray, netting five times and providing seven assists; he will look to score in three consecutive league matches.

On the other hand, Basaksehir will miss Amine Harit, who is sidelined due to an injury and is not expected to return until late March.

The visitors will also be without Kazimcan Karatas, who is suspended after accruing too many yellow cards.

Galatasaray probable starting XI:

Chakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Kahraman, Jacobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Sarah, Lang; Osimhen

Istanbul Basaksehir probable starting XI:

Sengezer; Sahiner, Duarte, Opoku, Operi; Kemen, Gunes; Fayzullaev, Shomurodov, Sari; selke

Confidence levels for Galatasaray will be high following their Champions League win against Liverpool, and their recent derby success against Besiktas further emphasizes their strong form entering this fixture.

While Basaksehir has been one of the most in-form teams in the league lately, their difficulties in key matches are concerning, and with the hosts enjoying momentum, home advantage, and an impressive record in this matchup, they should possess enough quality to secure another crucial victory.