Preview:Fatih Karagumruk vs Istanbul Basaksehir - prediction, team news, lineups

Fatih Karagumruk will meet city rivals Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday in a rescheduled Turkish Super Lig encounter.

The visitors were granted additional rest by the Turkish Football Federation due to their Conference League qualifiers, prompting this fixture to be pushed forward from the opening round.

Match preview

Karagumruk endured relegation in 2023-24 after finishing 18th with 40 points, but they wasted no time returning to the top flight, sealing third place last season with 66 points and earning promotion through the playoffs.

However, life back in the Super Lig has been far from smooth, as Marcel Licka’s men have already suffered three defeats in four matches, falling to Galatasaray (3-0), Goztepe (2-0) and Kasimpasa (1-0).

Their lone bright spot was a 2-1 away win at Antalyaspor in round four, which keeps them hovering just outside the relegation zone in 14th place.

Kara Kirmizi are yet to collect a point on home soil this season, but they might take encouragement from their impressive record in this fixture, having not lost to Basaksehir since 2005, back when both sides competed in the second tier.

Basaksehir, meanwhile, will be eager to end an eight-match winless run in all competitions against Karagumruk, in what has been an abysmal start to the campaign for them.

The Grey Owls have struggled for form themselves, failing to win any of their last six competitive outings and bowing out of the Conference League playoffs, a sequence that cost Cagdas Atan his job.

Former Antalyaspor and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin has been appointed as the new head coach and will hope to inspire an immediate turnaround on Wednesday.

Interim boss Marco Pezzaiuoli oversaw last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Besiktas, where Basaksehir squandered a late lead, leaving them on just two points from their opening three league fixtures after back-to-back draws.

Fatih Karagumruk Turkish Super Lig form:

Fatih Karagumruk form (all competitions):

Istanbul Basaksehir Turkish Super Lig form:

Istanbul Basaksehir form (all competitions):

Team News

Karagumruk have no injury concerns heading into the derby, and Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana, signed last week, adds a timely boost to their forward options.

With only two goals scored so far this campaign, Licka will be counting on Fofana to inject firepower, following his two-goal spell at Goztepe last season.

Basaksehir, however, face several absentees, with Ousseynou Ba suspended after his red card against Besiktas.

Leo Duarte remains sidelined with a foot injury until late September, while Omer Ali Sahiner is doubtful due to a muscle problem.

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Balkovec, Cinar, Kadioglu, Cankaya; Esgaio, Ozcan, Johnson, Serginho; Kalayci; Cukur

Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:

Sengezer; Operi, Opoku, Duarte, Ebosele; Ozdemir; Brnic, Kemen, Crespo, Sari; Shomurodov

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-1 Istanbul Basaksehir

Beyond the derby bragging rights, this fixture has all the makings of a scrappy contest, with both sides struggling for cutting edge in attack so far this season, and even with Basaksehir boasting the slightly sturdier defence, it remains difficult to split the two teams on current form.

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