Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray: Early final in Türkiye Cup quarterfinals

Fenerbahce and Galatasaray will face off in the quarterfinals of the Ziraat Türkiye Cup.

This exciting derby will take place on Wednesday at Ulker Stadium, starting at 8:45 p.m. local time.

Cihan Aydin will referee the match, with Deniz Caner Ozaral and Volkan Ahmet Narinc as his assistants.

403rd match between the two clubs

The Fenerbahce-Galatasaray rivalry will reach its 403rd encounter in the Türkiye Cup quarterfinals. Out of the 402 matches played so far, Fenerbahce has won 149, Galatasaray 129, and 124 have ended in draws. Fenerbahce has scored 542 goals in these meetings, while Galatasaray has netted 500.

In previous Turkiye Cup derbies, Galatasaray has been the more successful side, winning 14 times, while Fenerbahce has triumphed only three times. The last 10 meetings ended in draws. In recent Cup derbies, Galatasaray has scored 44 goals, while Fenerbahce has scored 29.

Key stats from Fenerbahce-Galatasaray rivalry

In recent years, the team that scores first has had a strong advantage. In the last 64 derbies, the team that scored first only lost six times. Fenerbahce, in particular, has won 26 of these matches when scoring the first goal.

The disciplinary record in these derbies is also notable. In the last 64 encounters, 46 red cards and 386 yellow cards have been issued. Fenerbahce has received 25 red cards, while Galatasaray has been shown 21. These high card numbers highlight the fierce and competitive nature of the rivalry.

Goalkeeper performances under the spotlight

The performances of the goalkeepers will be key in this match. Fenerbahce’s Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and Galatasaray’s veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera will be crucial. Muslera is in his 14th season with Galatasaray, bringing valuable experience to the derby. Livakovic has been in excellent form recently and will be hoping to lead his team to victory.

Fenerbahce with a full squad, Galatasaray faces injury concerns

Fenerbahce will head into the derby with a full squad. Fred, Caglar Soyuncu, and Diego Carlos, all of whom have recently recovered from injuries, are fit and available.

There are no missing players for Fenerbahce under coach Jose Mourinho.

On the other hand, Galatasaray has a few injury concerns. Ismail Jakobs is confirmed to be out, and Roland Sallai, who experienced discomfort during the Besiktas derby, remains uncertain. The fitness of Elias Jelert will be decided after the final training session before the match.

Referee Cihan Aydin faces scrutiny

Cihan Aydin, the referee appointed for this derby, will officiate his first major Fenerbahce-Galatasaray match. His appointment has raised concerns among Galatasaray supporters.

Ibrahim Hatipoglu, vice president of Galatasaray, questioned whether Aydin, given his relatively young career, would be able to handle the pressure of such an important game. Hatipoglu emphasized that the refereeing should be fair and impartial.

Galatasaray’s Vice President Ibrahim Hatipoglu believes his team is the favorite for this derby. “We aim to win both cups this season, and we’re confident we will come out on top in this derby,” he said. Hatipoglu also expressed his concerns regarding the referee appointment and called for a fair and just outcome.

The Ziraat Türkiye Cup quarterfinal derby between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray is set to be a thrilling match with significant implications for both teams.

The winner will face the winner of the TUMOSAN Konyaspor vs. Iskenderunspor match in the semifinals. Fans are eagerly awaiting this high-stakes encounter, and the preparations of both teams, as well as the appointment of the referee, have sparked considerable discussion.