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

Trabzonspor will welcome Alanyaspor to Papara Park on Saturday afternoon for a Super Lig affair, aiming to return to winning ways and extend their impressive home run.

The Black Sea Storm remain unbeaten on their own turf this season (W4, D2), winning the last two at this ground, and they enter this clash on the back of a fiercely contested goalless draw with Galatasaray.

Match preview

Trabzonspor once again proved they are no pushovers, standing firm against the unbeaten league leaders in a match full of intensity and determination.

On-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was the standout performer, producing a string of vital saves to preserve his clean sheet despite the intimidating atmosphere.

That result marked a proud moment for Fatih Tekke, who ensured his side avoided defeat against one of the two teams – Galatasaray and Fenerbahce – to have beaten him since taking charge.

The draw leaves Trabzonspor five points off the top, though they dropped to third following Fenerbahce’s derby victory over Besiktas, and now they will look to put pressure on the top two.

Before the stalemate in Istanbul, Tekke’s men had strung together four straight league victories – their longest winning run since the 2021–22 title-winning season – and they will look to start another such sequence, with fixtures against Alanyaspor, Istanbul Basaksehir, Konyaspor and Goztepe ahead of their next big test versus Besiktas.

No side in the division has collected more points at home (14) than Trabzonspor this term, while they have also won their last two encounters with Alanyaspor – both at Papara Park.

The visitors have not left this ground with a result since 2021, when they earned a 3-1 win and a 1-1 draw, but they have since lost on four successive visits.

Alanyaspor come into this fixture following a goalless draw with Gaziantep, their second straight league game without a win after a 2-0 defeat at Kocaelispor.

They did, however, claim a 2-1 Turkish Cup victory over lower-league Bursa Yildirimspor between those results, offering some positivity in the midst of a poor league run that has seen them drop to ninth.

Head coach Joao Pereira felt his side merited more from their draw with Gaziantep but acknowledged the recent decline in their attacking output.

The visitors have managed only three big chances and an xG of 1.65 across their last two league games, which may not suffice against a confident and efficient Trabzonspor outfit.

Trabzonspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Alanyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Alanyaspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Anthony Nwakaeme remains sidelined until the second half of the season with a long-term muscle injury, while captain Stefan Savic sustained a hamstring problem in the draw with Galatasaray and will be out until after the international break.

Youngster Taha Emre Ince has undergone cartilage surgery and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, while Salih Malkocoglu is also unavailable through injury.

Midfielder Benjamin Bouchouari is suspended following his late red card for a poor challenge in the draw against Galatasaray.

For Alanyaspor, Buluthan Bulut continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained early in the year, while forwards Guven Yalcin and Steve Mounie are still out injured.

Uchenna Ogundu, who has registered the most shots on target per match for Alanyaspor (0.9), is expected to lead the line once again as he looks to add to his two league goals.

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Pina, Batagov, Baniya, Eskihellac; Oulai, Jabol-Folcarelli; Zubkov, Augusto, Muci; Onuachu

Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:

Taskiran; Lima, Aliti, Akdag; Ruan, Makouta, Janvier, Ozdemir; Kaya, Ogundu, Hagi

We say: Trabzonspor 2-0 Alanyaspor

Trabzonspor are likely to continue their fine home form with another composed performance at Papara Park, as they are playing with real confidence, while their attacking balance has improved with each passing week.

Alanyaspor’s lack of cutting edge makes this a daunting task, and the hosts should control possession and territory throughout, helping them secure a comfortable victory.

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