Konyaspor vs Galatasaray – News and Probable Lineups

On Saturday evening, the contrasting ambitions of Galatasaray, who sit atop the Turkish Super Lig table, and Konyaspor, battling to avoid relegation, will clash.

The home side has not claimed a victory in their last 12 league matches (6D, 6L) and now faces the league’s form team, who are unbeaten in their last 10 Super Lig encounters (8W, 2D).

Match overview

At a crucial stage in the season, Galatasaray seems to be hitting their stride – on Tuesday night, they triumphed over Italian heavyweight Juventus 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League knockout play-off at a buzzing RAMS Park.

After being down 2-1 at halftime, Okan Buruk’s team delivered a devastating performance in the second half, with Noa Lang, newly acquired on loan from Napoli in January, netting twice on his European debut, while Gabriel Sara, Davinson Sanchez, and the returning Sacha Boey also scored.

This victory marked the fifth consecutive win across all competitions, with the Lions managing to score five goals in two consecutive matches after overwhelmingly beating Eyupspor 5-1 in their last league game.

The result maintained their three-point lead at the top over Fenerbahce with 12 matches left to play, as Galatasaray inched closer to securing their fourth successive league title.

Their next test is against Konyaspor, a team they have overcome in each of their last five Super Lig meetings, stretching to seven matches in total across all competitions (6W, 1D).

For Konyaspor, breaking this unfavorable trend seems to be an increasingly challenging task, as the Anatolian Eagles have not celebrated a league victory since October and are perilously close to the relegation zone, sitting just two points above the bottom three.

In an effort to reverse the decline, the club has turned to Ilhan Palut once again – however, he has yet to spark an immediate comeback, following an encouraging goalless draw against Goztepe in his first match back in charge with a disappointing 2-1 loss away at Alanyaspor in their latest fixture.

After unsatisfactory periods under Recep Ucar and Selcuk Inan, there is hope that Palut — who previously led the club to a historic third-place finish in 2022 — can bring stability back, but results need to improve promptly to halt the downturn.

At least they have shown resilience at home, where Konyaspor has drawn each of their last five league matches at the Konya Buyuksehir Belediye Stadium; however, another stalemate against such high-profile opposition would be a significant achievement.

Team News

Konyaspor’s only confirmed absentee is Ufuk Akyol, who has been out since October due to a knee injury, while Rayyan Baniya’s status remains uncertain.

Yhoan Andzouana has generated the most significant chances for the hosts this season, and Jackson Muleka averages the highest number of shots on goal per game, with both likely tasked with shouldering the attacking responsibilities.

Galatasaray will be without Metahan Baltaci, who is suspended due to his involvement in a betting scandal, while young defender Arda Unyay is still recovering from injury.

Mauro Icardi enters this match in exceptional form after netting a hat-trick in the Lions’ last league match, while Lang’s brace midweek has highlighted his immediate impact.

Victor Osimhen has provided two assists in Galatasaray’s last two matches, and although he has not found the net in his last two outings, the Nigerian striker remains a notable threat.

Konyaspor probable starting XI:

Gungordu; Jo, Yazgili, Demirbag, Bosluk; Kutlu, Bjorlo; Turuc, Svendsen, Muleka; Kramer

Galatasaray probable starting XI:

Cakir; Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Elmali; Torreira, Sara; Yilmaz, Icardi, Lang; Osimhen

League leaders Galatasaray seem unbeatable as they approach this matchup, and their dominance over Konyaspor further underscores their position, with the visitors’ attacking strength likely to be crucial.

Buruk’s squad is scoring freely and radiating confidence, while the hosts remain mired in a lengthy slump despite Palut’s return.