Istanbul vs Besiktas – News and Probable Lineups

Istanbul Basaksehir aims to maintain their pursuit of the Turkish Super Lig top five as they face another team in good form, Besiktas, this Sunday evening.

Both squads enter this encounter riding impressive unbeaten streaks: the hosts have not lost in their last nine matches in all competitions (6W, 3D), while the visitors remain unbeaten in their latest 14 outings (8W, 6D).

Match overview

Since taking over as head coach in September, Nuri Sahin has transformed Basaksehir’s fortunes, which were once languishing in 13th place. Initial struggles have given way to a significant turnaround starting in late November.

Since November 29, the Grey Owls have only suffered one defeat in all competitions—a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup—winning six and drawing two of their subsequent eight Super Lig encounters, which has propelled them to sixth in the standings.

Over the past five league matches, no team has garnered more points than Istanbul (13), matched only by the top two teams, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

Currently, they sit four points behind fifth-placed Besiktas after their 2-1 victory against Eyupspor most recently. A win on Sunday could close that gap, although Basaksehir has not defeated their opponents in their last three encounters at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium (2D, 1L).

The earlier match in September saw the Grey Owls succumb to a 2-1 defeat, conceding a goal in stoppage time. However, they can draw confidence from their two victories and two draws in the last four home league fixtures, with support from their fans expected to lift them again.

Besiktas, meanwhile, has collected two fewer points than Basaksehir in their last five matches, primarily due to their 2-2 draw at home against Alanyaspor, during which they needed to recover from a two-goal deficit.

While they may find themselves looking over their shoulder should they lose on Sunday, they are also looking to apply pressure on fourth-placed Goztepe, who currently lead them by three points.

Sergen Yalcin, like Sahin, also took charge during this season, and this match could carry extra weight given their previous verbal disagreement, which left the Besiktas manager questioning how the Basaksehir coach managed to secure a position at Borussia Dortmund.

Nonetheless, the Black Eagles have drawn their last two league matches on the road, conceding five goals across both games, which raises concerns for the visitors.

Team News

Eldor Shomurodov is on a fine scoring streak, having netted in Basaksehir’s last three matches, and he is anticipated to spearhead the attack once more.

Yusuf Sari has returned from a three-month injury and made his comeback in the cup clash against Fatih Karagumruk, aiming to appear in a league game again for the first time since November.

For the Black Eagles, midfielder Necip Uysal and defender Taylan Bulut are sidelined due to injuries.

January signing Hyeon-gyu Oh took to the field as a forward last time, with El Bilal Toure suspended, though the Malian is set to be back in the squad for this fixture.

Emmanuel Agbadou, after his transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers, made his debut for the visitors most recently and is likely to retain his place alongside Emirhan Topcu in central defence.

Istanbul Basaksehir probable starting XI:

Sengezer; Sahiner, Duarte, Opoku, Operi; Kemen, Gunes; Fayzullaev, Shomurodov, Harit; Selke

Besiktas probable starting XI:

Destanolglu; Sazdagi, Djalo, Topcu, R. Yilmaz; K. Yilmaz, Cook; Rashica, Cerny, J. Silva; Tower

Istanbul Basaksehir has revitalized their season under Sahin, showcasing particular strength at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium.

However, despite recent defensive lapses, Besiktas remains a tough side to defeat, making an intense match likely, with an entertaining draw being the most probable outcome.