Trabzonspor vs Gaziantep – News and Probable Lineups

Trabzonspor aims to build on their recent successes as they host Gaziantep at Papara Park this Sunday in the Turkish Super Lig.

The home team has a solid history against their visitors, remaining unbeaten across all 18 competitive encounters, achieving 12 victories and six draws.

Match overview

Under head coach Thomas Reis, Trabzonspor have discovered their rhythm, winning their last six competitive fixtures, which features a notable 4-0 triumph against Galatasaray, a 3-0 win over Besiktas, alongside European victories over KuPS and Hearts.

In their previous match, Trabzon faced a challenging test, coming from behind two goals to secure an exhilarating 4-3 win over Caykur Rizespor. Franculino Dju netted a brace to help the team complete the comeback.

Reis’ squad currently occupies the third position with 19 points from nine fixtures, three points behind league leaders Galatasaray, and they are determined to keep the pressure on the top spot by maintaining their unbeaten streak in this match.

The Black Sea Storm have also been dominant at home, winning all four of their league games at Papara Park this season, netting 11 goals, while also keeping clean sheets in their last three home matches. The only team to score against them there has been Istanbul Basaksehir in a 2-1 loss during their first home league match.

Gaziantep would consider anything other than a loss as a positive outcome, aiming to replicate their previous 1-1 draw on past visits to this ground, which halted a streak of six defeats.

However, the outlook is not favorable for the Falcons, who are positioned 15th, accumulating eight points after enduring four straight league losses, placing them in a challenging situation against one of the league’s hottest teams.

Recently, Gaziantep faced a setback with a 3-1 home defeat to Erzurumspor, although they managed to bounce back in the Turkish Cup with a 4-0 win over a lower-league team, Etimesgut.

The Falcons will look to channel their cup success into league form, as they risk falling into the relegation zone, sitting just above it on goal difference.

One silver lining for the visitors is their performance away from home, as six of their eight league points have been garnered on the road, with two victories from four matches.

Team News

Trabzonspor will be missing Dju after the attacker sustained a hamstring injury in the match against Rizespor. Additionally, Arseniy Batagov, Ruslan Malinoxyi, and Okay Yokuslu are also anticipated to be sidelined.

Paul Onuachu is on the path to recovery after overcoming a muscle issue and has returned to training, which may see the Nigerian forward lead the charge if deemed fit to play.

Stefan Savic is also listed as a doubt, but his fitness is expected to be evaluated prior to the match.

Gaziantep will miss Myenty Abena due to suspension, while Nazim Sangare and Fuat Bavuk are out with injuries.

Other unavailable players include Kacper Tobiasz, Ogun Ozcicek, Sontje Hansen, Ulrich Meleke, Arda Kizildag, and Serdar Dursun.

Trabzonspor probable starting XI:

Onana; Pina, Nwaiwu, Savic, Eskihellac; Kabasakal, Fabinho; Salah, Muci, Simsir; Onuachu

Gaziantep probable starting XI:

Dadakdeniz; Destiny, Creation, Creation, Research; Gidado, Gassama; Genc, ​​Bacuna, Cihan; Stewart

Trabzonspor are currently in outstanding form, showcasing significant attacking prowess, while their strong home record positions them as heavy favorites against a Gaziantep side struggling to manage their opponents amid recent defeats.

The visitors may find a way to score, but the hosts are likely to possess more than enough firepower to secure yet another win.