Preview:Samsunspor vs Fenerbahce - prediction, team news, lineups

Both coming off memorable European nights, Samsunspor and Fenerbahce will turn their attention back to domestic action when they meet at the Samsun 19 Mayis Stadyumu for a Super Lig clash on Sunday evening.

The last three clashes between the two have ended level, but the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five encounters with the Red Lightning, winning twice and drawing three.

Match preview

It was a week to remember for Turkish football, as all three representatives – Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Samsunspor – secured wins on the continental stage, but it was a particularly historic moment for Thomas Reis’s side, as they marked their first-ever Conference League appearance with triumph.

Samsunspor’s 1-0 victory away at Legia Warsaw was their first European win in 27 years – dating back to a 2-0 triumph over Crystal Palace in July 1998 – as Anthony Musaba’s early strike proved enough to seal the landmark result, extending their unbeaten run to four matches in all competitions (2W, 2D).

They now head into this Super Lig clash only three points behind Fenerbahce and will be eager to close the gap before the international break; however, history is not in their favour, having last defeated the Yellow Canaries in February 2012, and have not even led in a match against them since.

Reis will still fancy his team’s chances, especially with their attack rediscovering form – Samsunspor have scored five goals in their last two league outings, as many as they managed across the previous five matches combined, a surge in confidence that could prove vital here

Last time out in the league, the Red Lightning lost a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Gaziantep, a game marked by the dismissal of summer signing Cherif Ndiaye in first-half stoppage time.

For Fenerbahce, it was also a statement week, as summer signing Kerem Akturkoglu lit up the Europa League on Thursday, netting a first-half brace to secure a 2-1 win over Nice.

That came just days after a composed 2-0 league victory against Antalyaspor, easing some of the pressure that had been building on manager Domenico Tedesco.

A three-match winless run had seen questions asked of the German coach, particularly his commitment to a heavy-possession approach, but against Nice, his vision came to life – with Fenerbahce dominating possession, creating more attempts and registering more shots on target than their visitors.

The style has delivered goals, with the Yellow Canaries scoring in every game under Tedesco so far, though defensive issues remain, as they have kept just two clean sheets – both at home.

The manager stressed the importance of consistency after Thursday’s win, and this trip to Samsun is a stern test of that resolve.

Fenerbahce have also been awarded the most penalties in the league this season (3), a statistic reflective of their front-footed style, and with so much riding on getting ahead in the battle for European qualification, they will be looking to continue forcing errors in the final third, especially in high-stakes encounters like this one.

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Samsunspor form (all competitions):

Fenerbahce Turkish Super Lig form:

Fenerbahce form (all competitions):

Team News

Samsunspor will be without Ndiaye, who is suspended after picking up a red card in their last league outing, a decision that drew public criticism from the club’s football director, Fuat Capa.

Injury concerns also linger, with Soner Aydogdu, Emre Kilinc, Bedirhan Cetin, and Afonso Sousa all sidelined for several weeks and not expected to return in time for this clash.

Gambian striker Ebrima Ceesay, who has not featured since an eight-minute cameo on the opening day against Genclerbirligi, continues to nurse a long-term issue that even saw him left out of the Europa League squad.

On a brighter note, left-back Logi Tomasson has been a creative outlet, producing the most big chances for Samsunspor this season (2), while, Marius Mouandilmadji, who is likely to step in for Ndiaye, has been their most active threat in front of goal, averaging 1.4 shots on target per game in the league.

For Fenerbahce, striker Jhon Duran remains out as he continues to recover from pain-related issues, with the Colombian expected to resume individual training during the international break.

Six of their players have earned call-ups to Vincenzo Montella’s Turkish squad, including defenders Caglar Soyuncu and Mert Muldur, midfielder Ismail Yuksek, and attackers Irfan Can Kahveci, Oguz Aydin, and Kerem Akturkoglu.

Tedesco may also be cautious with Marco Asensio, who played more than an hour against Nice in midweek despite suffering from flu, and could be handed a rest this weekend.

Samsunspor possible starting lineup:

Kocuk; Yavru, Satka, Van Drongelen, Tomasson; Yuksel; Musaba, Holse, Ntcham, Coulibaly; Mouandilmadji

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Semedo, Oosterwolde, Skriniar, Brown; Talisca, Yuksek, Asensio; Dorgeles, En-Nesyri, Akturkoglu

We say: Samsunspor 2-2 Fenerbahce

Both Samsunspor and Fenerbahce come into this game on the back of European wins, carrying strong momentum into their Super Lig clash, with the hosts unbeaten in four, while the visitors appear to have discovered their rhythm under Tedesco despite defensive lapses.

Recent history points towards balance, with the last three meetings ending in draws, and given how both teams are buzzing with confidence, another stalemate looks likely, but one with goals.

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