Istanbul vs Samsunspor – News and Probable Lineups

Samsunspor aims to secure their fifth consecutive Turkish Super Lig win as they head to the capital for a crucial encounter against Istanbul Basaksehir this Saturday evening.

The Red Lightning have shown remarkable form in recent weeks and could equal their opponents’ points tally if they keep their winning streak alive.

Match overview

Istanbul Basaksehir is still aiming for a fifth-place finish, even though their aspirations faced a setback with a 3-1 loss to Fenerbahce last weekend.

Nuri Sahin’s team has suffered only three league defeats since the beginning of 2026, with all losses occurring against teams currently within the top four.

Interestingly, the Grey Owls were enjoying a five-match unbeaten streak prior to their loss at Fenerbahce, which included scoring eight goals across three recent fixtures.

Basaksehir holds the best attacking record among teams outside the top four, with most of their 53 league goals scored at home.

Sahin and his squad will strive to conclude their last home league match of the season with a significant victory, as they try to close the one-point gap with fifth-placed Goztepe.

Samsunspor is currently four points behind Goztepe, meaning the Red Lightning are also eyeing a potential fifth-place finish.

Thorsten Fink’s men have been on a strong run lately, registering four consecutive league victories, including notable wins against league leaders Galatasaray and Besiktas.

In fact, last weekend’s success over the league leaders was not just a win—it was a commanding 4-1 rout.

Samsunspor has netted 11 goals in their last four league games, showcasing a return to their aggressive attacking style.

The significant challenge for the visitors on Saturday will be to overcome their disappointing record against Basaksehir, having lost three of their last four encounters.

Fink’s squad faced a 2-0 home defeat to the Grey Owls back in December, and they will be eager to seek revenge using their newfound form.

Istanbul Basaksehir Turkish Super Lig form:

D D W D W L

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

D L W W W W

Samsunspor form (all competitions):

L W W L W W

Team News

Istanbul Basaksehir faces no significant injury concerns ahead of the weekend, which will certainly bolster their chances of finishing in the top five.

Striker Bertug Yildirim is the player to watch after scoring two goals in his last four matches.

Yusuf Sari is also expected to play a crucial role, having contributed three assists in his last four appearances.

Conversely, Samsunspor will be missing the suspended Soner Gonul, who received his fourth yellow card of the season last weekend.

Jaures Assoumou and Bedirhan Cetin are dealing with long-term injuries and will not participate on Saturday.

The same situation applies to Tanguy Coulibaly, who is also unavailable due to suspension.

Istanbul Basaksehir probable starting XI:

Sengezer; Karatas, Opoku, Duarte, Sahiner; Gunes, Kemen; Harit, Shomurodov, Sari; Yıldırım

Samsunspor probable starting XI:

Whisker; Thomasson, Van Drongelen, Satka, Yavru; There, Makoumbou; Cift, Holse, Ndiaye; Marius

While there may not be much at stake this Saturday, we anticipate an exciting, high-scoring match in Istanbul.

The hosts possess a robust home record, while they will be challenged by a rising Samsunspor side. A draw is possible in this encounter.