Preview: Besiktas vs. Kasimpasa - prediction, team news, lineups

Besiktas will continue their push for the European places when they welcome Kasimpasa to Vodafone Park on Monday.

The hosts, who sit in seventh-place, are currently three points adrift of the top four, while Kasimpasa enter the contest in 11th position.

Match preview

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Since taking over as Besiktas boss, Valerien Ismael has won once and drawn two games, and though he is yet to taste defeat, he has also been troubled by his side's inability to regularly convert draws into victories.

No team has drawn more Super Lig games this season than Besiktas, who have seen 12 of their league encounters end all square, while four of their last six matches have resulted in the spoils being shared.

They were unable to get the better of Giresunspor last weekend, with the contest ending in a goalless draw, leaving the Black Eagles in seventh place.

After beginning his reign with five points from three games, Ismael will feel confident about his side's prospects on Monday, especially as the Black Eagles have lost only two home league matches this season.

A positive result against Kasimpasa would extend Besiktas's eight-game unbeaten home run in the Super Lig, and it would also keep them firmly in the hunt for a top-four finish.

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The visitors occupy a mid-table spot, but with three points separating them from the top 10, they will be looking to break into the top half of the table before the season ends.

Momentum is certainly in Kasimpasa's favour ahead of Monday's contest, with five of their last six matches ending in victory, including their most recent encounter against Adana Demirspor.

Dogucan Haspolat and Jackson Muleka both found the net to put Kasimpasa in the driving seat before Adana Demirspor were reduced to 10 men following Mario Balotelli's red card.

Kasimpasa began the second period with a two-goal lead and a one-man advantage, and they built on their first half display with Muleka grabbing his second goal of the game, while Umut Bozok struck from the spot to wrap up a comfortable 4-0 victory.

Although they will be fully aware of the tough test that Besiktas will pose, Monday's visitors will believe that they have the tools to trouble their hosts, especially after scoring at least two goals in each of their previous six matches.

Team News

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Oguzhan Ozyakup is sidelined for the hosts due to a back problem, while Mert Gunok is a long-term injury absentee.

Besiktas will welcome back Welinton from suspension, with the defender expected to replace Necip Uysal in the back three.

Miralem Pjanic, meanwhile, has come off the bench to feature in the last three games, but Ismael may be tempted to bring the 32-year-old into the starting lineup for Monday's contest.

As for the visitors, they could name an unchanged starting XI following their impressive performance against Adana Demirspor.

That would mean that Bozok will have to settle for a place among the substitutes despite coming off the bench to score a penalty last weekend.

Including his brace against Adana Demirspor, Muleka has now scored in each of his last four matches, and he will be hoping to continue his fine run of form when he features in the forward line on Monday.

Besiktas possible starting lineup:

Destanoglu; Vida, Montero, Welinton; Rosier, Pjanic, Souza, Yilmaz; Ghezzal, Teixeira, Batshuayi

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

Taskiran; Hadergjonaj, Donk, Serbest, Elmali; Hajradinovic, Haspolat; Fall, Torun, Ben Ouanes; Muleka

We say: Besiktas 2-1 Kasimpasa

Although the visitors have enjoyed a number of victories in recent weeks, on Monday they will face a Besiktas side that have not lost a home league game since November, and we think that the hosts will utilise home advantage to edge out Kasimpasa.