Preview: Fatih Karagumruk vs Galatasaray - prediction, team news, lineups

The two teams at opposite ends of the Turkish Super Lig table meet on Saturday as bottom side Fatih Karagumruk host leaders Galatasaray at Ataturk Olimpiyat.

Cimbom hold a slender one-point advantage over second-placed Fenerbahce at the summit, while Kara Kirmizi sit seven points adrift of safety as their relegation battle intensifies.

Match preview

Galatasaray entered the second half of the 2025-26 campaign at the top of the table, having built a three-point cushion over arch-rivals Fenerbahce, but a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Gaziantep last time out has reduced that lead to just a single point.

Under Okan Buruk, the Lions have largely set the standard for consistency, though that reliability has wavered since the turn of the year, with the Lions failing to win three of their five matches in 2026 across all competitions, raising questions about their momentum at a crucial stage of the title race.

A 2-0 defeat to Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Cup final on January 10 was followed by a routine 2-1 Turkish Cup win away at Fethiyespor, but that was followed with consecutive 1-1 draws against Gaziantep in the league and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, adding to the sense of unease.

With a squad widely described by local media as the most expensive in Turkish football history, Galatasaray’s current level has fallen short of expectations, and as a result, scrutiny has begun to increase despite the club winning the last three league titles.

A trip to face the league’s bottom side appears well timed, yet anything less than a commanding performance — similar to the 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture — could fuel doubts about Galatasaray’s ability to hold off a resurgent Fenerbahce.

In stark contrast, Fatih Karagumruk are locked in a desperate fight for survival, one that is increasingly slipping away from them.

Back in the Super Lig for the 2025-26 season, they have struggled badly and find themselves rooted to the foot of the table halfway through the campaign.

After 18 matches, Karagumruk have collected just nine points from two wins, three draws and 13 defeats, while their 2-1 loss away to Istanbul Basaksehir last time out extended their winless league run to six matches (2D, 4L) and made it six games without victory across all competitions (3D, 3L).

Instability has defined their season off the pitch as much as on it, with the club already on their third manager this season after dismissing Marcel Licka early on, only for Onur Can Korkmaz failing to engineer a revival, leading to Serbian coach Aleksandar Stanojevic, who has now been tasked with an increasingly difficult rescue mission.

However, Stanojevic is yet to record a win, opening his tenure with a 2-2 Turkish Cup draw against Alanyaspor before the defeat to Basaksehir.

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig form:

Fatih Karagumruk form (all competitions):

Galatasaray Turkish Super Lig form:

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

Team News

Karagumruk have the majority of their squad available, with Matias Kranevitter the only confirmed absentee due to accumulated yellow cards, while Joao Camacho is racing to recover in time to feature.

The hosts have also been active in the transfer market, adding Ivorian duo Ahmed Traore and Abdul Kader Moussa Kone to their ranks.

Galatasaray will be without Gabriel Sara, who is sidelined with a knee injury, and Arda Unyay, who is dealing with a thigh problem.

Wilfried Singo is also working his way back from a hamstring issue, while Metehan Baltaci remains suspended due to betting violations, and Lucas Torreira will need to be assessed after being forced off late on against Atletico Madrid.

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Esgaio, Kadioglu, Balkovec, Kurukalip; Kalayci, Ozcan; Serginho, Cukur, Larsson; Fofana

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Cakir; Elmali, Sanchez, Bardakci, Sallai; Gundogan, Lemina; Sane, Akgun, Yilmaz; Osimhen

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 0-2 Galatasaray

Galatasaray should see this as an ideal opportunity to reassert their authority in the title race, and despite recent stutters, the league leaders possess far too much quality for a Fatih Karagumruk side rooted to the bottom and short on confidence.

The hosts’ defensive issues and managerial instability make this a daunting assignment, and while desperation may bring brief resistance, but the Lions are expected to control the contest and return to winning ways with a relatively comfortable victory.

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