Fenerbahce vs Trabzonspor: Key Super Lig clash in Istanbul

Fenerbahce will host Trabzonspor on Sunday in a crucial Week 30 match of the Trendyol Super Lig.

The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. local time at Ulker Stadium in Istanbul, with referee Mehmet Turkmen overseeing the match, assisted by Bersan Duran and Serkan Cimen.

Fenerbahce is currently second in the standings with 65 points from 27 games, having won 20, drawn 5, and lost only 2. Last week, Jose Mourinho’s team secured a 4-2 away victory against Sipay Bodrum FK, reducing the gap between leaders Galatasaray to six points after their defeat to Besiktas.

With Galatasaray on a break this weekend, a Fenerbahce win would cut the deficit at the top to just three points.

Trabzonspor, sitting 10th with 36 points (9 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses), ended a 300-day winless streak away from home last week with a dominant 3-0 victory over RAMS Basaksehir.

Under new coach Fatih Tekke, the club will look to beat one of the “Big Three” teams for the first time in over 500 days.

Probable lineups

Fenerbahce: Irfan Can Egribayat, Mert Muldur, Milan Skriniar, Yusuf Akcicek, Oguz Aydin; Fred, Sebastian Szymanski, Filip Kostic; Irfan Can Kahveci, Youssef En-Nesyri, Edin Dzeko.

Trabzonspor: Ugurcan Cakir, Pedro Malheiro, Stefan Savic, Okay Yokuslu, Mustafa Eskihellac; Batista Mendy, John Lundstram; Edin Visca, Ozan Tufan, Oleksandr Zubkov; Simon Banza.

A historic rivalry

This Sunday’s match will mark the 137th meeting between Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor. Their rivalry began on February 13, 1974, with a goalless draw in the Turkish Cup. Since then, Fenerbahce has had the upper hand, winning 53 times, compared to Trabzonspor’s 44 victories. The remaining 39 encounters have ended in draws.

In league matches, the two sides have faced off 103 times, with Fenerbahce winning 42, Trabzonspor 27, and 34 matches ending in draws. Fenerbahce has scored 140 league goals in these fixtures, while Trabzonspor has netted 110.

Fenerbahce has been particularly dominant at home, winning 29 of the 66 official and friendly matches played in Istanbul. Trabzonspor has claimed 13 victories, while 24 matches have ended in draws. In these encounters, Fenerbahce has scored 96 goals, while Trabzonspor has found the back of the net 66 times.

Recent trends

Interestingly, the last three league matches between the two teams have all seen the away side winning 3-2. Earlier this season, Trabzonspor handed Fenerbahce their only home defeat, also with a 3-2 scoreline. However, Fenerbahce has secured two 3-2 away wins in their last two meetings.

Memorable results

Fenerbahce’s largest win over Trabzonspor came in March 1989, a 5-1 victory in Kadikoy. They also triumphed 4-0 in Trabzon during the 2015–16 season, in a match that was later abandoned.

For Trabzonspor, their biggest victories came in 1992, with a 4-1 win in Kadikoy during a testimonial match, and two 3-0 wins at home in 1976 and 1991.

The highest-scoring game between the two sides took place in October 1990, when Trabzonspor won 5-3 in Istanbul. They also recorded 4-3 wins in 1994 and 1997, while Fenerbahce won 4-3 in 1992 and 5-2 in the 2000–01 season.

Suspension warnings

Both teams have players at risk of suspension. Four Fenerbahce players — Filip Kostic, Irfan Can Kahveci, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Caglar Soyuncu — are one yellow card away from missing their next match against Sivasspor.

Similarly, Trabzonspor has four players — Ugurcan Cakir, John Lundstram, Ozan Tufan, and Edin Visca — who are at risk of suspension and would miss their next match against Caykur Rizespor if they receive a yellow card.

Banza’s goal-scoring form

Simon Banza, Trabzonspor’s top scorer, will be a key player for the team. The Congolese striker has scored 17 goals in 23 league appearances, finding the net in 13 of those matches. Banza scored twice in the reverse fixture against Fenerbahce earlier this season and also netted in losses to Galatasaray and Besiktas.