Besiktas vs Galatasaray: Istanbul derby with high stakes, controversy
What to expect from Istanbul derby: Besiktas vs. Galatasaray match predictions, stats, standout players, Istanbul, Türkiye,. (Created with Canva)
Besiktas will face Galatasaray in the highly anticipated 29th-week match of the Trendyol Super Lig at Tupras Stadium on Saturday.
Kick-off is set for 8:30 p.m. (local time), with the match to be officiated by Yasin Kol. His assistants will be Bora Ozkara and Samet Cicek, while Cagdas Altay will serve as the 4th official.
Team form, standings
Five enter the game with a solid yet challenging season under their belt. After 26 matches, they have accumulated 44 points and currently sit in 4th place. Their record consists of 12 wins, 8 draws, and 6 losses.
The team has been strong in matches against top opponents, with only one defeat against sides in the top five of the league standings.
On the other hand, Galatasaray has been dominant this season, having played 27 matches, securing 71 points from 22 wins and 5 draws, maintaining an undefeated run in the league. They lead the standings comfortably ahead of their competitors.
The first derby of the season, held at RAMS Park, saw Galatasaray triumph with a 2-1 victory over Besiktas, a result they will look to replicate in this match.
Besiktas absences and suspensions
Besiktas will be missing four key players because of injuries: Felix Uduokhai, who is expected to be out for an extended period, and Emrecan Terzi.
Additionally, Necip Uysal and Bakhtiyor Zaynutdinov are also unavailable as they continue to train separately from the main squad.
The team also has five players on the yellow card suspension threshold. Mert Gunok, Ersin Destanoglu, Emirhan Topcu, Ciro Immobile, and Semih Kilicsoy are all at risk of missing the following match against Kasimpasa if they pick up a yellow card in this derby.
Solskjaer’s 1st derby in charge
Besiktas’ manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, will experience his first-ever derby against Galatasaray as the head coach of the team. The Norwegian manager has been in charge of 11 matches, securing 7 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses so far.
Despite some ups and downs, Solskjaer has already proved capable of getting results against top-tier teams. However, this derby will be a crucial test of his leadership against a strong opponent like Galatasaray.
Galatasaray is fully fit
Galatasaray, who is full-strength, comes into the derby without any key injuries or suspensions. Ismail Jakobs, who has missed the last 12 matches because of injury, has recovered but will not be included in the squad for the match because of fitness concerns.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Kutucu and Gunay Guvenc, who missed the last match due to suspension, are both available to play.
Davinson Sanchez, who recently suffered a head injury during an international match, is still undergoing medical checks to determine his availability for the match.
Suspended players for Galatasaray
Two Galatasaray players are also on the yellow card suspension threshold: Victor Osimhen, their top scorer, and Roland Sallai. If either of them receives a yellow card in this match, they will be suspended for the next game against Samsunspor.
Historic rivalry
This derby will be the 358th meeting between these two Istanbul giants. The first-ever encounter between Besiktas and Galatasaray was played on Aug. 22, 1924, when Besiktas won 2-0.
In the 357 encounters since then, Galatasaray has won 128 times, while Besiktas has won 115 times, and 114 matches have ended in a draw. In terms of goals, Galatasaray leads with 498 goals, while Besiktas has scored 470 goals.
Key match stats and players
Besiktas’ possible line-up
Mert Gunok (Goalkeeper)
Jonas Svensson, Marcelo Paulista, Emirhan Topcu, Arthur Masuaku (Defenders)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gedson Fernandes, Mario (Midfielders)
Milot Rashica, Rafa Silva (Winger)
Ciro Immobile (Forward)
Galatasaray’s Possible Line-Up
Fernando Muslera (Goalkeeper)
Przemyslaw Frankowski, Davinson Sánchez, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Eren Elmali (Defenders)
Lucas Torreira, Gabriel Sara, Baris Alper Yilmaz (Midfielders)
Yunus Akgun, Álvaro Morata, Victor Osimhen (Forwards)
Recent performances and form
While Besiktas has been strong in big matches this season, they have struggled in their recent encounters against Galatasaray, losing 3 consecutive derbies.
However, the Turkcell Super Kupa match earlier this season saw Besiktas claim a historic 5-0 win over Galatasaray, which will give them confidence going into this derby.
Besiktas’ record against top 5 teams: 4 Wins, 1 Draw, 1 Loss
Galatasaray’s record against top 5 teams: 3 Wins, 2 Draws
Besiktas’ performance against top 5 teams
In matches against top five teams in the Super Lig—Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Reeder Samsunspor, and Eyupspor—Besiktas recorded 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.
Currently sitting in fourth place in the league on goal difference, Besiktas managed to earn 13 points from these games. The black-and-white team scored 9 goals and conceded 4 in these fixtures.
Galatasaray earned 3 wins and 2 draws from these matches, collecting 11 points, while Fenerbahce could only manage 4 points, with 4 draws and 2 losses.
Besiktas beat Fenerbahce 1-0
Besiktas defeated second-placed Fenerbahce 1-0 in the first half of the season. In the 15th week of the Super Lig, the black-and-white team beat their yellow-blue rivals at home thanks to a goal by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
This was Besiktas’ first derby win of the season. Last season, the team had lost all four matches against Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
Lost only to Galatasaray
Besiktas’ only loss against a top-five team came against Galatasaray. In their first meeting of the season at Rams Park, Besiktas was defeated 2-1.
Now, Besiktas is aiming for revenge by defeating the yellow-red team in their upcoming match.
Besiktas collected 10 points against Eyupspor, Samsunspor
Besiktas has shown dominance over two teams that have impressed in the Super Lig this season, Reeder Samsunspor and Eyupspor.
The black-and-white team won both of their matches against Eyupspor, with scores of 2-1 and 3-1, respectively.
Besiktas also had an undefeated record against third-placed Samsunspor, winning 2-0 away and drawing 0-0 at home.
In total, Besiktas earned 10 points from their 4 matches against these two teams.
| Competition | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Super Lig | Reeder Samsunspor-Besiktas | 0-2 |
| Super Lig | Besiktas-Eyupspor | 2-1 |
| Super Lig | Galatasaray-Besiktas | 2-1 |
| Super Lig | Besiktas-Fenerbahce | 1-0 |
| Super Lig | Besiktas-Reeder Samsunspor | 0-0 |
| Super Lig | Eyupspor-Besiktas | 1-3 |
Besiktas’ success in the UEFA Europa League
In addition to their domestic success, Besiktas also made headlines in the UEFA Europa League, defeating some tough teams in the competition.
Under the management of coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the black-and-white team secured a 1-0 victory against Olympique Lyon in France.
In the first match under Norwegian coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Besiktas triumphed 4-1 at home against Spanish club Athletic Bilbao.
These two victories in the Europa League were highly praised by both fans and neutrals alike.
Besiktas’ foreign referee request, criticism of Yasin Kol
Besiktas President Serdal Adali has sharply criticized the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) following its decision to appoint local referee Yasin Kol for the upcoming Besiktas–Galatasaray derby.
This move comes after the club had officially requested a foreign referee, citing fairness concerns raised by recent controversial decisions, particularly those involving Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
Adali accused the TFF of bias, claiming that the federation is favoring certain clubs and undermining the fairness of Turkish football.
TFF’s alleged favoritism towards Galatasaray and Fenerbahce
In his remarks, Adali condemned the TFF for what he perceived as favoritism towards the two largest Istanbul clubs, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
“The TFF is clearly playing favorites with Fenerbahce and Galatasaray,” Adali said. “By rejecting our request for a foreign referee, they’ve sent the message that other clubs, like Besiktas, simply don’t matter.”
Concerns over Yasin Kol’s Ability to officiate the derby
The appointment of Yasin Kol to officiate the Besiktas-Galatasaray derby has stirred up controversy. Kol, who will be officiating his first-ever derby, has faced criticism in the past for his inconsistent decisions.
Adali, along with many fans, questioned Kol’s ability to handle the intensity of a high-stakes match.
Additionally, Kol’s lack of proficiency in English has raised concerns. As an international fixture, clear communication between referees and players is crucial, and his inability to effectively communicate in English adds another layer of uncertainty.
Besiktas also voiced their concerns via social media, stating: “We asked for a foreign referee, but you sent one who doesn’t even speak a foreign language!”
Besiktas fans’ frustration with Turkish referees
Frustration over Turkish refereeing reached new heights after Besiktas’ 2-1 defeat to Gaziantep FK on March 10. Fans were vocal in their dissatisfaction, with chants of “We don’t want Turkish referees in the derby!” echoing through the stadium.
Adali echoed the discontent of the fans, stating, “We simply want fairness, but we are being punished by incompetent refereeing that costs us points.” He reiterated that Besiktas would continue to push for more impartial officiating.
TFF’s double standards, resignation of Ceyhun Kazanci
After Besiktas formally requested a foreign referee for their upcoming derby, citing consistency, the TFF’s decision to appoint a local referee raised further suspicions of bias.
Adali accused the TFF of double standards, highlighting the fact that a foreign referee was appointed for the Fenerbahce-Galatasaray derby earlier in the season.
TFF Vice President Ceyhun Kazanci resigned amid growing criticism. Kazanci, who had previously served as Besiktas’ Sporting Director, stated, “I am resigning for the betterment of Turkish football. I thank everyone who supported me during my tenure.”
Adali’s determination despite controversy
Despite the controversy, Adali remains determined and confident that Besiktas will win the derby, regardless of who the referee is.
“We will win, no matter who the referee is. We will be monitoring every decision closely,” he said, emphasizing that Besiktas would also be watching Galatasaray’s actions throughout the match.
Big excitement ahead
This match promises to be a highly competitive affair, with both teams boasting strong line-ups and high stakes for the Super Lig title race.
Besiktas will be looking to bounce back from their recent defeats to Galatasaray and assert their dominance, while Galatasaray will aim to maintain their unbeaten run and extend their lead at the top of the table.
With so much on the line, this derby is sure to deliver intense moments, passionate football, and dramatic twists. However, the ongoing officiating controversy surrounding the TFF’s decision adds a layer of complexity to this already heated rivalry.
