Preview: Gaziantep vs. Galatasaray - prediction, team news, lineups

Gaziantep will be aiming to end a seven-game winless run in all competitions when they play host to Galatasaray in the Super Lig on Sunday.

The visitors, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after they were eliminated from the Europa League in midweek by Barcelona.

Match preview

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After 23 games, Gaziantep seemed set to emulate their ninth-placed finish from last season, but a six-game winless league run has seen Erol Bulut's side drop into the bottom half of the table.

In fact, they have picked up just two points in their previous six Super Lig matches, leaving them in 14th position ahead of the weekend's round of fixtures.

With eight points separating them from the relegation zone, Gaziantep may feel that they have enough points on the board, but Bulut will be desperate for his team to halt their current slide.

Their last outing resulted in a 2-1 away defeat against Giresunspor after Serginho and Chiquinho scored either side of an Alexandru Maxim penalty to guide the hosts to victory.

Gaziantep can be comforted by the fact that despite their recent results, they hold the third-best home record in the Super Lig after losing just once at home this season.

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Galatasaray, who have endured an underwhelming domestic campaign, will have to pick themselves up after they exited the Europa League in midweek.

Their tie against Barcelona was on a knife-edge after a goalless first leg in Spain, and the Turkish side got off to the best possible start on Thursday, with Marcao netting to put his side in front.

However, Pedri equalised before half time, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored what proved to be the winner in the 49th minute to end Galatasaray's European journey.

Torrent will now challenge his side to finish the league campaign strongly, with Galatasaray sitting in 10th place ahead of Sunday's contest.

After beating local rivals Besiktas in their most recent league outing, Sunday's visitors will be aiming to clinch back-to-back Super Lig victories against Gaziantep.

Team News

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The hosts are expected to be without Torgeir Borven and Alexander Merkel due to groin and knee problems respectively.

Injury issues are also expected to sideline Hamza Mendyl and Luka Stankovski, with the hosts set to name an unchanged lineup for Sunday's contest.

Gaziantep's main goal threat will come from a front two made up of Muhammet Demir and Joao Figueiredo.

The visitors, meanwhile, are unable to call upon Omer Bayram and Mostafa Mohamed, who are both suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Torrent is expected to opt for the same back four that started the second leg against Barcelona, but changes could be made elsewhere to freshen up the side.

Emre Kilinc and Sofiane Feghouli could replace Ryan Babel and Alexandru Cicaldau in the starting lineup.

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Guvenc; Tosca, Caulker, Djilobodji; Ceylan, Maxim, Vetrih, Soyalp, Sagal; Demir, Figueiredo

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Pena, Boey, Nelsson, Marcao, Van Aanholt; Kilinc, Kutlu, Antalyali, Feghouli, Akturkoglu; Gomis

We say: Gaziantep 1-3 Galatasaray

Galatasaray won the reverse fixture in October, and with Gaziantep experiencing a poor run of form, we think that the visitors will claim back-to-back league victories on Sunday to become just the second side to win away against Gaziantep in the Turkish Super Lig this season.