Preview: Genclerbirligi vs Besiktas - prediction, team news, lineups

Genclerbirligi – looking to end a five-game winless run in the Turkish Super Lig – will welcome Besiktas to the Eryaman Stadium on Sunday evening, with the visitors aiming to bounce back swiftly from a rare defeat.

While the Ankara side are desperate to gather points in their fight for survival, the visitors will be determined to return to winning ways after suffering a setback in the Istanbul derby.

Match preview

It has been a season largely defined by struggle for Genclerbirligi, who returned to the Super Lig this term after a four-year absence and have found life in the top flight every bit as demanding as expected.

The Ankara outfit currently sit on 25 points from as many matches, leaving them uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, with their four-point cushion over the bottom three offering little reassurance with nine games still left to play.

The Wind of Ankara have struggled to build any real momentum in recent weeks, managing just one win from their last seven matches in all competitions (4D, 2L).

Their latest outing ended in a goalless draw away at Alanyaspor, though it was hardly a convincing performance, as Genclerbirligi failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match, while their goalkeeper was forced into action on five occasions to keep the scores level.

Across their last five league fixtures, the Youth have collected just three points, with only Samsunspor picking up fewer (two) during that stretch.

Despite these struggles, Genclerbirligi will take some confidence from their performance in the reverse fixture, where they stunned Besiktas with a 2-1 victory – however, completing a league double over the Black Eagles now appears a far more difficult task.

At home, the hosts have shown resilience, remaining unbeaten in their last nine matches at the Eryaman Stadium across all competitions - that said, each of their last three home games has ended in a draw, highlighting their difficulty in turning solid performances into victories.

Besiktas arrive in Ankara in stronger overall form, though their preparations for this encounter have been disrupted by a frustrating derby defeat.

The Black Eagles suffered a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Galatasaray in their most recent outing, a result that ended what had been an impressive 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions (12W, 6D).

Nevertheless, Sergen Yalcin’s side remain well positioned in the league table, currently occupying fourth place with 46 points from 25 matches, holding a four-point advantage over fifth-placed Istanbul Basaksehir in the race for European qualification.

Besiktas will therefore view this fixture as an opportunity to quickly reassert their momentum while strengthening their grip on a continental spot.

Another encouraging factor for the visitors is their strong away record, with the Black Eagles unbeaten in their last 12 away matches across all competitions, winning seven and drawing five during that run.

Genclerbirligi Turkish Super Lig form:

Genclerbirligi form (all competitions):

Besiktas Turkish Super Lig form:

Besiktas form (all competitions):

Team News

Genclerbirligi continue to deal with several injury concerns ahead of this clash, as Nigerian midfielder Peter Etebo remains sidelined with a muscle injury, while Abdullah Sahindere and Emirhan Unal are both unavailable due to knee problems.

Moussa Kyabou has been out since suffering a knee injury against Fenerbahce in August 2025 and remains a long-term absentee, while Ogulcan Ulgun has missed the last four matches with a hamstring issue.

Besiktas, by contrast, arrive with a relatively healthy squad, though they will still be without Emirhan Topcu and El Bilal Toure, both of whom are expected to remain sidelined with hamstring injuries until late March.

Meanwhile, Necip Uysal and Taylan Bulut are both carrying minor knocks and will need to pass late fitness tests before they can be considered for selection.

Genclerbirligi possible starting lineup:

Velho; Pereira, Goutas, Zuzek, Thalisson; Dele-Bashiru; Traore, Gurpuz, Tongya, Mimaroglu; Koita

Besiktas possible starting lineup:

Destanolglu; Murillo, Uduokhai, Agbadou, Yilmaz; Kokcu, Ndidi; Cerny, Asllani, Olaitan; Oh

We say: Genclerbirligi 1-2 Besiktas

Genclerbirligi’s solid home record suggests they could prove stubborn opponents, but Besiktas possess greater quality and consistency, particularly away from home.

After seeing their long unbeaten run ended last time out, the visitors should arrive highly motivated to respond, and if they can rediscover their attacking rhythm, the Black Eagles are likely to have enough to secure all three points.

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