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

Fatih Karagumruk will welcome Genclerbirligi to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Sunday, looking to avoid potentially confirming their relegation this week against another side battling to remain in the top flight.

The visitors sit just above the relegation zone heading into the final rounds thanks to a superior goal difference, while the hosts remain rooted to the bottom and are in urgent need of a win to retain their slim chances of survival.

Match preview

Karagumruk come into this fixture seven points from safety with three matches left to play, and if they fail to reduce that gap by the end of this round, their drop to the second division could be confirmed this weekend.

Their campaign has been defined by inconsistency, leading to the dismissal of two managers before the appointment of Aleksandar Stanojevic in January, and while the Serbian has brought slight improvement, bridging the gap has proven a tall order.

The Istanbul side have managed to pick up some valuable results in recent weeks, including a notable victory over Fenerbahce and a hard-fought draw against Besiktas in their last outing, which took them to 21 points.

However, even that resurgence may not be enough, as Karagumruk likely need maximum points from their remaining fixtures against Genclerbirligi, Kocaelispor and Alanyaspor, while also relying on results elsewhere to go their way.

There is some encouragement in their home form, as they had gone four matches unbeaten at this venue (3W, 1D) before a narrow 1-0 defeat to Eyupspor last time out.

Genclerbirligi, meanwhile, appear to have found a spark at just the right time, as their stunning Turkish Cup victory over Galatasaray was followed by a crucial 1-0 league win over Kocaelispor, giving them momentum heading into this decisive clash.

That said, Levent Sahin’s side still have issues to resolve, particularly away from home, where they have not won a league match since the turn of the year, with their current away run standing at six matches without victory (1D, 5L), which tempers some of the optimism surrounding their recent upturn.

Still, with survival on the line, they will be desperate to build on that momentum, especially having beaten Karagumruk 3-0 earlier this season.

The relegation battle remains incredibly tight, with Genclerbirligi, Eyupspor and Antalyaspor all locked on 28 points, and while goal difference currently gives the Ankara side a slender edge, their direct rivals also face winnable fixtures this weekend, and dropping points here could prove costly.

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig form:

Genclerbirligi Turkish Super Lig form:

Genclerbirligi form (all competitions):

Team News

Karagumruk will remain without Joao Camacho, who continues his recovery from injury, while Ahmet Sivri and Moussa Kone are also sidelined.

Daniele Verde, who was forced off against Eyupspor, missed the last match but could return in time for this clash.

Shavy Warren Babicka is also pushing for a start after returning to the bench in the previous outing and could feature alongside Serginho or Sam Larsson in attack.

Genclerbirligi, on the other hand, remain without Moussa Kyabou and Abdullah Sahindere, both of whom are dealing with long-term knee injuries.

Peter Etebo is still unavailable as he recovers from a muscle problem, while Henry Onyekuru also remains sidelined.

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Mladenovic, Lichnovsky, Biraschi, Esgaio; Hamed, Elmaz, Ozcan, Kalayci; Serginho, Babicka

Genclerbirligi possible starting lineup:

Velho; Uzum, Goutas, Kelven, Dursun; Diabate, Onur; Mimaroglu, Tongya, Traore; Koita

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-1 Genclerbirligi

Karagumruk are in a desperate situation, but so are Genclerbirligi, and with both sides fighting for survival, this has all the makings of a tense, high-stakes encounter.

The hosts’ home resilience could balance out the visitors’ renewed momentum, and it would not be a surprise to see the points shared in what could turn into a nervy stalemate.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.