Preview: Besiktas vs Trabzonspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh off a heartbreaking domestic cup exit, Besiktas turn their attention back to Super Lig action as they welcome Trabzonspor to Istanbul on Saturday, looking to finish the campaign strongly.

The Black Eagles enter this encounter on the back of a last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Konyaspor in the Turkiye Kupasi semi-final on Tuesday, three days after the Claret-Blues played out a 1-1 draw with Goztepe in the league.

Match preview

With Galatasaray and Fenerbahce already out of the Turkish Cup, Besiktas would have fancied their chances of lifting the trophy for the second time in three years, but those hopes came to an end on Tuesday when Enis

Bardhi's penalty deep into stoppage time handed Konyaspor victory.
That result also snapped the Black Eagles’ three-game unbeaten run overall, a sequence which included two league outings, having been held to a goalless draw by bottom-placed Fatih Karagumruk before beating Gaziantep 2-0 last weekend.

That win ensured Sergen Yalcin’s men will finish no lower than fourth in the Super Lig table, though a top-three finish is now beyond reach, with Besiktas sitting seven points behind third-placed Trabzonspor with only two games remaining.

While the hosts are aiming to end the season on a positive note, inconsistency remains an issue, having alternated between victories and dropped points across their last six league outings, with every win in that stretch coming only when they scored at least twice.

That said, Besiktas have been solid on home soil, winning nine of their 16 Super Lig matches in Istanbul this season (D4, L3), including six of their last nine, and will hope that record counts for something this weekend.

Meanwhile, Trabzonspor are enduring a difficult spell themselves, having failed to win any of their last four league games, drawing against Alanyaspor and Basaksehir before a 2-1 defeat at Konyaspor ended their fading title hopes.

Last weekend’s draw with Goztepe also dealt a blow to the Black Sea Storm’s ambitions of securing Champions League qualification, leaving them four points behind second-placed Fenerbahce, though Fatih Tekke would have been pleased with the character his side showed.

After falling behind to Juan Santos da Silva’s opener in the 32nd minute, Trabzonspor were reduced to 10 men shortly before half-time following Mustafa Eskihellac’s dismissal, but Umut Nayir struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a point.

That late goal means Tekke’s men have now scored in 21 consecutive league outings since their goalless draw at Galatasaray in November, though defensive vulnerabilities remain evident, with the visitors conceding in each of their last five Super Lig matches.

As such, another entertaining contest could be on the cards against Besiktas this weekend, especially with both teams scoring in each of their last four meetings, including a thrilling 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture back in December, a result which leaves the Claret-Blues without a win in their last five games (D2, L3) with the Black Eagles.

Trabzonspor have also looked less convincing on the road lately, failing to record victory in either of their last two away league games, though 10 victories from 16 trips this season (D3, L3) still underlines their threat on the road.

Besiktas Turkish Super Lig form:

Besiktas form (all competitions):

Trabzonspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Trabzonspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Besiktas are expected to remain without Kartal Yilmaz due to a torn ankle ligament, while Milot Rashica could miss a third successive outing because of a bone oedema issue.

Gokhan Sazdagi is also a major doubt after missing each of the last three matchday squads, while Necip Uysal continues to serve a suspension related to the betting scandal.

Tiago Djalo was forced off in the last league outing, though the centre-back is expected to be available after making the bench in midweek.

Hyeon-gyu Oh is likely to continue leading the line, although Mustafa Hekimoglu could also be handed a second consecutive league start.

As for Trabzonspor, Eskihellac is suspended following his red card against Goztepe, while fellow full-back Wagner Pina will also miss out through accumulation of bookings.

The visitors are additionally without Arseniy Batagov, Stefan Savic, Edin Visca and Okay Yokuslu, all of whom remain sidelined with injuries.

Paul Onuachu will be hoping to rediscover his scoring touch after failing to net in each of his last four appearances, though the Nigerian still leads the club charts with 22 league goals this season.

Besiktas possible starting lineup:

Destanoglu; Bulut, Agbadou, Djalo, Yılmaz; Ndidi; Olaitan, Asllani, Kokcu, Toure; Oh

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Lovik, Nwaiwu, Malkocoglu; Zubkov, Jabol-Folcarelli, Bouchouari, Tufan; Muci, Augusto; Onuachu

We say: Besiktas 2-2 Trabzonspor

Recent meetings between these sides have consistently produced goals, and with Trabzonspor’s open approach often leaving spaces at the back, another entertaining affair could be in store.

Besiktas have been strong at home, while the visitors still possess enough quality to threaten despite their recent struggles, and with both sides carrying flaws defensively, a score draw appears the most likely outcome.

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