Preview: Galatasaray vs Kasimpasa - prediction, team news, lineups

Galatasaray will look to head into the winter break at the summit of the Turkish Super Lig by securing all three points against Kasimpasa at Rams Park on Sunday evening.

Cimbom hold a three-point advantage over second-placed Fenerbahce and arrive in confident mood, having recorded back-to-back victories across all competitions.

Match preview

Galatasaray have responded well to their recent European setback, bouncing back from a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Monaco in the Champions League with a commanding 4-1 league win over Antalyaspor, followed by a 1-0 success against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Cup.

Domestically, Okan Buruk’s side have shown resilience throughout the campaign – since suffering their only league defeat of the season against Kocaelispor, they have taken 10 points from a possible 12, with the only blemish coming in a hard-fought draw against title rivals Fenerbahce.

That run has allowed Galatasaray to extend their lead at the top to three points, and anything other than defeat on Sunday would be enough to see them remain league leaders heading into the winter break.

Confidence will be further boosted by their formidable home form, as Galatasaray are unbeaten at Rams Park this season, and no side in the division has accumulated more points on home soil than the reigning champions, who have collected 20.

Nevertheless, Cimbom will be mindful of the threat posed by Kasimpasa, as both league meetings between the sides last season ended in dramatic 3-3 draws, although the hosts are unbeaten in their last six encounters with the Apaches (4W, 2D).

Kasimpasa arrive as clear underdogs and are short on confidence, having failed to win any of their last three league matches (2D, 1L).

Following a disappointing start to the season, Emre Belozoglu replaced Shota Arveladze as head coach in late November, but the change has yet to spark a turnaround.

The Istanbul outfit are still without a goal or a win under the former Turkey international, having played out goalless draws against Kocaelispor and Genclerbirligi.

Those results have left Kasimpasa just one point above the relegation zone, and with their last drop from the top flight coming in the 2010-11 campaign, the pressure is beginning to mount.

A defeat here could see them slip into the bottom three before the league pauses, setting up a challenging battle for survival when action resumes in 2026.

Galatasaray Turkish Super Lig form:

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

Kasimpasa Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News

Galatasaray are expected to be without Wilfried Singo, who continues to manage a hamstring issue, Kaan Ayhan remains sidelined with a groin injury, while goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir is also unavailable.

Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci are suspended due to betting violations, while Mario Lemina, Ismail Jakobs and Victor Osimhen are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Osimhen also serving a suspension for accumulated yellow cards.

Kasimpasa are set to miss Haris Hajradinovic once again as he recovers from a knee injury, while Ege Albayrak and Ali Emre Yanar are serving 45-day suspensions linked to the ongoing betting investigation.

Meanwhile, Mortadha Ben Ouanes is banned for yellow-card accumulation, while Adem Arous is also absent, having joined Tunisia for the AFCON.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Guvenc; Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Karatas; Torreira, Gundogan; Sane, Akgun, Yilmaz; Icardi

Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:

Gianniotis; Frimpong, Opoku, Szalai, Espinoza; Ustundag, Baldursson; Barasi, Diabate, Ouanes; Gueye

We say: Galatasaray 2-0 Kasimpasa

Galatasaray are clear favourites for this clash, as they possess superior firepower despite losing Osimhen to international duty.

We expect a clinical performance from the hosts, as they will look to limit the visitors who are struggling to find the net, while scoring more than once themselves.

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