Gençlerbirliği vs. Kasımpaşa – News and Probable Lineups

In a crucial encounter in the battle against relegation, Genclerbirligi will face off against Kasimpasa at the Eryaman Stadium on Saturday for the penultimate round of the Turkish Super Lig.

With a semi-final match in the Turkiye Kupasi against Trabzonspor approaching, the home team will be eager for a morale-boosting win, while Kasimpasa will aim to secure at least one point to ensure their safety.

Match overview

After what looked like a rejuvenated phase during the latter part of the season, Genclerbirligi experienced a major setback last Sunday at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, suffering a 1-0 defeat against fellow relegation fighters Fatih Karagumruk, significantly impacting their hopes of survival.

Tiago Cukur opened the scoring with a header in the 17th minute, putting Karagumruk ahead. Genclerbirligi’s Metehan Mimaroglu then missed a penalty right before halftime, and the hosts managed to maintain their lead after the break, claiming only their sixth league victory of the season.

Genclerbirligi had established momentum with consecutive wins prior to that loss, stunning Galatasaray 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the Turkiye Kupasi on April 22 and narrowly defeating Kocaelispor 1-0 at home, marking their first league triumph since February 1.

Returning to the Super Lig this season after relegation in 2021, Metin Diyadin’s squad has found it difficult to assert themselves in the league, securing seven victories while suffering 18 defeats in 32 matches, currently positioned 16th in the table, just a point shy of 15th-placed Antalyaspor above the drop zone.

Next, they face a team that has remained unbeaten in seven of their last 10 matchups, claiming five wins and two draws since a string of three losses between April 2015 and February 2016.

Contrarily, Kasimpasa did not secure their safety last weekend after being held to a 1-1 draw by Kocaelispor at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium.

After winning their last three home fixtures, Adrian Benedyczak scored the opener from close range in the second minute, putting the hosts ahead for what seemed set to be a fourth consecutive win. However, Dan Agyei equalized for Kocaelispor in the 23rd minute, resulting in a share of the points.

Following that result, Kasimpasa has remained unbeaten in six of their eight Super Lig matches since early March, achieving three wins and three draws after struggling with only one victory in the preceding 11 league fixtures.

This encouraging streak has lifted Emre Belozoglu’s team to 13th in the Super Lig rankings, with 32 points from 32 games, four points clear of the relegation zone as they head into the final two fixtures.

While aiming to bounce back with a win this weekend, Kasimpasa’s away form raises concerns, with no victories in their last nine away fixtures, recording five losses and four draws since a narrow 2-1 win over Alanyaspor on November 23.

Team News

Genclerbirligi will be without the midfield pairing of Peter Etebo and 28-year-old Moussa Kyabou, both out due to muscle and knee injuries, respectively.

Turkish defender Abdullah Sahindere is out with a knee issue, and experienced forward Henry Onyekuru has not featured for the last four matches, also absent for this fixture.

For Kasimpasa, veteran defender Claudio Winck exited the recent game against Kocaelispor due to injury, making him a likely doubt for this upcoming match.

If he cannot recover in time, Dutch full-back Frimpong is expected to return, joining Adem Arous, Kamil Corekci, and 30-year-old Rodrigo Becao, who missed the Kocaelispor game due to suspension, in the backline.

Gabãoese striker Jim Allevinah is anticipated to miss his fourth consecutive game, while Bosnian midfielder Haris Hajradinovic remains sidelined following a knee injury he sustained in September 2025.

Genclerbirligi probable starting XI:

Old; Uzum, Goutas, Kelven, Dursun; Diabetes, Honor; Traore, Tongya, Koita; Mimarogl

Kasimpasa probable starting XI:

Gianniotis; Frimpong, Arous, Becao, Corekci; Baldursson, Cafu; Ouanes, Diabate, Kahveci; Benedyczak

Having not emerged victorious in seven of their last ten encounters with each other, Genclerbirligi is aware that they face another tough matchup this weekend as they strive for survival.

Diyadin’s squad will draw from Kasimpasa’s struggles on the road as they return to the Eryaman Stadium, where they have only lost three of their last 13 games since early November, and they are expected to gain strength as the match progresses to clinch a hard-fought victory.