Preview: Fenerbahce vs Samsunspor – prediction, team news, lineups

Fenerbahce wish to regain momentum as they battle to remain inside touching distance within the Turkish Super Lig title race, and internet hosting a faltering Samsunspor on Sunday will supply some optimism on this quest.

The Yellow Canaries have fallen 4 factors behind league leaders Galatasaray with 10 matches left to play, and with the pacesetters dealing with Besiktas in a significant derby this weekend, the hosts will look to capitalise on any potential slip-up.

Match preview

Fenerbahce could really feel annoyed with their current outcomes because the hole to Galatasaray has widened regardless of alternatives to shut it – when the league leaders misplaced to Konyaspor just lately, the Yellow Canaries have been unable to take benefit.

That similar weekend they conceded deep into stoppage time to attract 1-1 with Kasimpasa, and so they adopted that with one other irritating outing towards Antalyaspor – trailing 2-0 in that match, Fenerbahce needed to rally late to salvage a 2-2 draw, dropping extra worthwhile factors within the title race.

Those two attracts additionally got here round their Europa League exit by the hands of Nottingham Forest, growing the stress on the Istanbul giants to ship success domestically.

The Yellow Canaries responded positively in midweek by advancing within the Turkish Cup after a commanding 4-0 win away at Gaziantep FK, and they’ll hope to hold that momentum into Sunday’s league conflict.

Despite being the one team within the Super Lig nonetheless unbeaten after 24 matches (15 wins and 9 attracts), Fenerbahce know {that a} sequence of victories is crucial if they’re to catch Galatasaray in the course of the remaining stretch of the season.

However, current conferences with Samsunspor have been tough to separate, with the final 4 league encounters between the edges ending in attracts, although encouragingly for the hosts, they did safe a convincing 2-0 victory over Samsunspor within the Turkish Cup again in January.

© Imago / STEINSIEK.CH

Ironically, the Samsin aspect arrive in Istanbul in an identical run of kind, having additionally drawn their final two league matches as a part of a 4-sport winless sequence within the Super Lig.

Thorsten Fink’s aspect have struggled in entrance of purpose throughout that interval, failing to attain in both of their final two league outings – within the goalless draw with backside aspect Fatih Karagumruk they did not register a shot on course, whereas their stalemate with Gaziantep noticed them produce three efforts on course however nonetheless come away and not using a purpose.

Interestingly, the Red Lightning have regarded much more harmful in cup competitions, as in between these two league attracts, they scored six objectives throughout two cup matches, first thrashing KF Shkendija 4-0 within the second leg of their Conference League knockout playoff earlier than beating Antalyaspor 2-0 within the Turkish Cup on Thursday.

Nevertheless, the final two league conferences between Samsunspor and Fenerbahce have completed goalless, a outcome that may doubtless fulfill the guests greater than the hosts on this context.

Fenerbahce Turkish Super Lig kind:

Fenerbahce kind (all competitions):

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig kind:

Samsunspor kind (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Middle East Images

Fenerbahce will stay with out Edson Alvarez, who continues to get well from an ankle harm, whereas Caglar Soyuncu can be sidelined with a muscle drawback.

Anderson Talisca is unavailable resulting from a hamstring concern, and Nelson Semedo is a doubt after sustaining an harm within the cup win over Gaziantep. 

There was higher information for the Yellow Canaries in that match, as goalkeeper Ederson returned from harm and is predicted to maintain his place in purpose, although Milan Skriniar stays out however may return forward of the derby towards Besiktas subsequent month.

Samsunspor additionally journey with a number of harm issues. Bedirhan Cetin is sidelined with a knee drawback, whereas Afonso Sousa continues to get well from an ankle harm.

Emre Kilinc will miss the match resulting from a calf tear, and Jaures Assoumou has been dominated out after struggling a grade three harm to the medial collateral ligament of his proper knee in the course of the draw with Gaziantep.

Fenerbahce doable beginning lineup:

Ederson; Muldur, Demir, Oosterwolde, Mercian; Guendouzi, Kante; Nene, Asensio, Akturkoglu; Cherif

Samsunspor doable beginning lineup:

Kocuk; Yavru, Sakta, Drongelen, Tomasson; Makoumbou, Yuksel; Cift, Holse, Mendes; Ndiaye

We say: Fenerbahce 2-1 Samsunspor

Fenerbahce ought to view this fixture as a significant alternative to return to successful methods, particularly with Galatasaray dealing with a tough derby this weekend. 

While Samsunspor have confirmed cussed opponents in current conferences, their attacking struggles and harm issues may show expensive in Istanbul, because the hosts possess larger depth and high quality – and in the event that they preserve the attacking rhythm proven in midweek, they need to create sufficient possibilities to interrupt the impasse and safe a worthwhile victory.

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