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

Galatasaray and Trabzonspor will lock horns at Gaziantep Stadium on Monday, with a place in the final of the newly revamped Turkish Super Cup up for grabs.

Traditionally a one-off contest between the Super Lig champions and the Turkish Cup winners (or runners-up if one side claimed both trophies), the competition has now been reshaped into a four-team mini-tournament featuring semi-finals and a final.

Match preview

Having swept both domestic honours in 2024–25, Galatasaray face the Super Lig’s third-placed side from that campaign, with their sights firmly set on reclaiming the Super Cup after last season’s bitter disappointment.

Cimbom were thrashed 5–0 by city rivals Besiktas in August 2024 — the heaviest defeat in the competition’s history — a result that denied Okan Buruk’s side back-to-back titles following their triumph the previous year.

Galatasaray enter this semi-final in buoyant mood, having won each of their last three matches across all competitions, with a narrow Turkish Cup victory over Istanbul Basaksehir sandwiched between emphatic league wins against Antalyaspor (4–1) and Kasimpasa (3–0).

That success against the Apaches ensured the reigning champions maintained their three-point lead at the top of the Super Lig table heading into the winter break, and they come into Monday’s clash refreshed after a two-week pause.

A formidable domestic record further boosts Galatasaray’s confidence, with 25 wins from their last 29 outings in Turkish competitions; their only defeat in that run came against Kocaelispor on November 9, shortly after playing out a goalless draw with Trabzonspor at Rams Park.

That stalemate halted a seven-match losing streak in this fixture for the Black Sea Storm, who will be aiming to build on that result as they seek to halt their recent slide.

Trabzonspor are without a win in their last three matches across all competitions, a sequence that began with a 3–3 draw against Besiktas, before a 12-game unbeaten run was halted by a 1–0 Turkish Cup defeat to Alanyaspor, followed by a dramatic 4–3 league loss away to Genclerbirligi last time out.

Despite fighting back from two goals down at Eryaman Stadium through a brace from Felipe Augusto, Fatih Tekke’s men were undone afterwards, with Ernest Muci’s penalty proving little more than a consolation.

Currently third in the league standings and eight points off the summit, the Super Cup represents Trabzonspor’s most realistic route to silverware this season, having won each of the last four they have contested, most recently lifting the trophy in 2023.

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

Trabzonspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Galatasaray are expected to remain without right-back Wilfried Singo due to a hamstring injury, while first-choice goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir could again miss out after sitting out the last three matches.

Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci remain suspended for betting violations, while Mario Lemina, Ismail Jakobs and Victor Osimhen are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Speculation continues to swirl around Mauro Icardi’s future, but the striker is expected to lead the line in Osimhen’s absence and will be full of confidence after finding the net last time out.

Trabzonspor, meanwhile, may be without Stefan Savic, who was forced off in the defeat to Genclerbirligi two weeks ago.

Edin Visca (foot), Anthony Nwakaeme (muscle) and Rayyan Baniya (shin) remain sidelined, while Okay Yokuslu and Tim Jabol-Folcarelli are again doubts after missing the matchday squad in recent outings.

Boran Baskan and Salih Malkocoglu are suspended for betting violations, while Christ Inao Oulai and leading scorer Paul Onuachu are away on AFCON duty.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

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

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Pina, Saatci, Batagov, Bosluk; Bouchouari, Tufan; Zubkov, Muci, Olaigbe; F Augusto

We say: Galatasaray 3-1 Trabzonspor

With the sides heading in opposite directions, Galatasaray’s current momentum and recent dominance in this fixture should give them the edge, and while Trabzonspor may pose moments of threat, Cimbom look well placed to book their spot in the final.

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