Trabzonspor vs Istanbul – News and Probable Lineups

Trabzonspor will take on Istanbul Basaksehir at Papara Park this Sunday as they play their second match of the Turkish Super Lig season, with the home team aiming to secure their first victory of the new campaign.

Fatih Tekke’s squad started with a 1-1 draw against Kasimpasa before they faced a narrow loss in the Europa League midweek, whereas their opponents enjoyed a solid opening game with a win over Kocaelispor.

Match overview

Trabzonspor had to settle for a draw in their opening fixture after Noah Saviolo put them ahead against Kasimpasa, only for Adrian Benedyczak to level from the penalty spot in the latter stages.

The outcome was especially disappointing for Tekke’s team, who seemed to be in control after Saviolo’s opening goal but failed to convert their chances into a second score.

Mohamed Salah was brought on in the 58th minute for his competitive debut and instantly provided a different dynamic from the right flank, however, Trabzonspor had to remain satisfied with just a point at the end.

Last season, Trabzonspor finished in third place in the Super Lig, accumulating 69 points from 34 fixtures, claiming victory in 20 of those and scoring 61 goals, while conceding 39, which ranked as the fourth-best defensive performance in the league.

Their home performance was impressive, with nine victories, six draws, and just two defeats at Papara Park, making them the owners of the third-best home record, fostering hopes for a positive result on Sunday.

Nevertheless, the Black Sea Storm come into this match following an exhausting European clash, having lost 1-0 to Ferencvaros at home last Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League playoff, conceding a header from Kristoffer Zachariassen in the 17th minute before being left with 10 players after Chibuike Nwaiwu received a straight red card during stoppage time.

Despite a tough match ahead, Trabzonspor has had success against Basaksehir recently, staying unbeaten in their last eight encounters in all competitions and securing victory in six of those matches, along with remaining unbeaten in their last six games against them at Papara Park, winning two of the last five league clashes at home.

In contrast, Basaksehir made a far more promising start to their league journey, defeating newly-promoted Kocaelispor 2-0 at home.

Christopher Operi opened the scoring in the 14th minute, followed by Eldor Shomurodov doubling their lead in the 72nd minute, allowing Nuri Sahin’s side to begin the season with a comfortable three points and without conceding.

This victory was particularly satisfying after a challenging European qualifying campaign, where Basaksehir was eliminated by Inter Turku, drawing 1-1 at home in the first leg before falling 2-0 in Finland.

Basaksehir also build on a strong last season when they finished fifth, gathering 57 points, scoring 58 goals, and allowing only 35 against, but concerns for Sahin arise as Trabzonspor have often created difficulties for Basaksehir in this fixture.

Last season, the Black Sea team won 4-3 at Basaksehir in November, while the return match at Papara Park ended in a 1-1 draw in April, and they also knocked out the visitors in the Turkish Cup with a 4-2 success in March.

Team News

Trabzonspor will remain without Arseniy Batagov and Tim Jabol-Folcarelli as they recover from knee injuries, while Okay Yokuslu is also facing fitness issues and was excluded from the Europa League squad.

Ernest Muci is back from a hamstring injury and made it to the bench against Ferencvaros, so he could serve as a viable option for Tekke this Sunday.

Nwaiwu’s red card from the European match does not necessarily bar him from participating in the domestic game, but his involvement will need close observation following his sending off against Ferencvaros.

Head coach Tekke will also have to decide on the extent to which he rotates the squad following the European fixture, as Salah had begun that match after making his league debut as a substitute against Kasimpasa.

Basaksehir does not report any significant availability issues before their away fixture, with Sahin likely to continue with the 4-2-3-1 formation that was effective against Kocaelispor.

Shomurodov was pivotal to their campaign last season, netting 22 league goals, and he has already scored this season after finding the net against Kocaelispor, marking him as a key player to keep an eye on.

Trabzonspor probable starting XI

Onana; Pina, Ozkacar, Nwaiwu, Cabral; Bouchouari, Malinoxyi; Salah, Saviolo, Simsir; Onuachu

Istanbul Basaksehir probable starting XI

Think; Sahiner, Bayram, Opoku, Opera; Kemen, Kaluzinski; Skov Olsen, Faizullayev, Yildirim; Shomurodov

Taking into account Trabzonspor’s home advantage, their recent strong record against Basaksehir, and the attacking options Tekke has at his disposal, they may be considered slight favorites even after their disappointing midweek European performance.

The visitors have demonstrated that they can be a tough side to break down, while Shomurodov poses a significant threat in the attacking third, but the backing from their home supporters and the overall quality of the hosts may push them to victory.