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

Trabzonspor will aim to bounce back quickly from their first defeat of the Turkish Super Lig season when they welcome Gaziantep to Papara Park on Saturday.

The Black Sea Storm saw their four-game unbeaten run snapped in a narrow 1-0 loss to Fenerbahce last weekend, and they will be eager to respond in front of their home fans

Match preview

Trabzonspor felt aggrieved in Istanbul, as Paul Onuachu’s opener was controversially ruled out after a VAR check before Okay Yokuslu was shown a straight red card just six minutes later.

Fatih Tekke’s men fought bravely despite the setback, with new goalkeeper Andre Onana making crucial saves to keep the contest alive until they were undone by a strike on the stroke of half-time.

Defensively, the Black Sea Storm have been solid, as Fenerbahce’s goal was just the second they have conceded this campaign, though their attack has yet to click, netting only four times in five matches.

However, returning to Papara Park against Saturday’s visitors could be the spark they need, as they have scored at least three goals in each of their last four home meetings with Gaziantep.

The visitors, meanwhile, arrive on the back of renewed confidence after a poor start, and will be hoping this momentum helps them end their winless streak in this fixture.

Following back-to-back defeats to open the season, the club swiftly replaced Ismet Tasdemir with Burak Yilmaz, and the turnaround has been impressive.

Yilmaz guided the Falcons to three straight wins, a 2-1 victory over Genclerbirligi, a thrilling 3-2 triumph at Kasimpasa, and a convincing 2-0 win against Kocaelispor, which marked their first clean sheet of the season.

That shutout was particularly significant for a side that had conceded a joint-high nine goals in their opening fixtures, though following this up at Papara Park will require a lot, as it has been a miserable hunting ground for Gaziantep in recent years.

Trabzonspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Trabzonspor form (all competitions):

Gaziantep Turkish Super Lig form:

Gaziantep form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts will be without midfielder Yokuslu, who serves a suspension following his sending-off in the last match.

Anthony Nwakaeme remains sidelined with a thigh injury and is not expected back until late September, while left-back Borna Barisic is also ruled out with a cruciate ligament problem until the same period.

Onuralp Cevikkan is a doubt due to a muscle issue and will face a late fitness test, while Wagner Pina is nursing a muscle injury and is likewise unavailable until late September.

The visitors continue to manage a lengthy injury list, as Ali Mevran Ablak is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury and is unlikely to return before early April 2026.

Emmanuel Boateng remains out with a hamstring problem and is targeting a mid-October return, while Salem M’Bakata has been ruled out for the season with a serious cruciate ligament injury.

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Eskihellac, Batagov, Savic, Tufan; Visca, Jabol-Folcarelli; Olaigbe, Augusto, Zubkov; Onuachu

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Bozan; Perez, Abena, Sanuc, Rodrigues; Kabasakal, Ozcicek; Sorescu, Kozlowski, Lungoyi; Maxim

We say: Trabzonspor 2-1 Gaziantep

Trabzonspor should have enough quality to respond after their setback against Fenerbahce, especially at Papara Park, where they have dominated recent meetings with Gaziantep.

The Black Sea Storm’s defence has been dependable, and a home crowd could lift their attack to rediscover its sharpness, and though Gaziantep’s three-game winning streak under Yilmaz gives them belief, their shaky defensive record is a concern.

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