Preview: Antalyaspor vs Genclerbirligi - prediction, team news, lineups

Antalyaspor welcome Genclerbirligi to Corendon Airlines Park on Sunday afternoon in the Turkish Super Lig, little more than a week after suffering defeat to the same opponents at this venue in the Turkish Cup.

This will be the third meeting between the sides this season, with the Scorpions claiming a narrow 1-0 win in the reverse league fixture before the Ankara side returned the favour with an identical scoreline in the cup.

Match preview

After a disappointing first half of the campaign, Antalyaspor are undergoing what can best be described as a hard reset, with the club parting company with Erol Bulut earlier this month and turning to Sami Ugurlu, tasking him with steering the team clear of relegation danger.

The Scorpions currently sit 14th in the table with 16 points, just one above the drop zone at the halfway stage of the season, as Ugurlu’s reign began without an immediate uplift, with Antalyaspor playing a goalless draw against fellow strugglers Kasimpasa in his first league match in charge.

While Ugurlu has publicly stated his belief that Antalyaspor will “definitely stay in the league”, turning confidence into results remains the pressing challenge.

The Mediterranean outfit are winless in their last six matches across all competitions (2D, 4L), have failed to score in each of their last three outings, and have not tasted victory in their last seven league games (3D, 4L).

Their struggles have been particularly pronounced at home, with Antalyaspor managing just one league win at Corendon Airlines Park all season, while they have collected the fewest home points in the division (four), lost more home matches than any other side (six), and conceded a league-high 22 goals on their own turf.

Genclerbirligi will view this fixture as an opportunity to build on their recent progress, even if their away form over the course of the season has been underwhelming, with the Ankara-based side collecting only five points from a possible 27 on the road, yet their overall trajectory has been encouraging.

Back in the Super Lig for the 2025–26 campaign, the Youth have emerged as one of the league’s more uplifting stories, shedding the usual struggles associated with newly promoted sides and establishing their home ground as a difficult venue, an improvement that has lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone.

Following Volkan Demirel’s brief tenure, which ended after a change in club leadership, Metin Diyadin was appointed in December, and the impact has been immediate.

Genclerbirligi are unbeaten in their last seven competitive matches (5W, 2D), including four straight league games without defeat (2W, 2D).

Encouragingly for the visitors, they have also avoided defeat in their last three away matches across all competitions (2W, 1D), including the recent cup victory at Antalyaspor, a run that will fuel belief that they can begin to pick up points on the road more consistently.

Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Antalyaspor form (all competitions):

Genclerbirligi Turkish Super Lig form:

Genclerbirligi form (all competitions):

Team News

Antalyaspor have just one confirmed absentee, with Erdogan Yesilyurt continuing his recovery from a long-term knee injury.

Abdulkadir Omur was forced off after 23 minutes in the draw with Kasimpasa, and his availability for Sunday remains in doubt.

Genclerbirligi face more extensive injury concerns, with Abdullah Sahindere, Moussa Kyabou and Emirhan Unal are all sidelined with knee problems.

Gokhan Akkan and Peter Etebo remain unavailable as they continue their recoveries, while on-loan forward Kevin Csoboth has also missed the last two matches.

Goktan Gurpuz has been a key creative outlet for the visitors this season, leading the squad for big chances created with seven and contributing six league assists, and the midfielder will again be tasked with providing the spark in the final third.

Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:

Julian; Balci. Turkmen, Sari, Paal; Dikmen, Ceesay, Baalci; Storm, Sari, van de Streek; Boli

Genclerbirligi possible starting lineup:

Velho; Pereira, Goutas, Zuzek, Kelven; Ulgun, Dele-Bashiru; Gurpuz, Tongya, Mimaroglu; Koita

We say: Antalyaspor 0-1 Genclerbirligi

Given the contrasting trajectories, Genclerbirligi appear better placed to take something from this contest, as Antalyaspor remain short on confidence, goals and home form under their new coach, while defensive fragility at Corendon Airlines Park continues to undermine them.

The visitors arrive buoyed by an extended unbeaten run and recent success at this venue in the Turkish Cup, and although their away record has been inconsistent, their current momentum suggests they can frustrate the hosts and potentially edge another narrow result.

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