The first major derby of the Trendyol Super Lig season takes place tomorrow, as leaders Galatasaray welcome Fenerbahçe to RAMS Park in week nine. The match kicks off at 21:30 and will be refereed by Atilla Karaoğlan, assisted by Ceyhun Sesigüzel and Süleyman Özay, with Abdullah Buğra Taşkınsoy serving as fourth official.
The sides are separated by just three points. Galatasaray top the table with 19 points from six wins, one draw and one defeat, while Fenerbahçe have five wins, one draw and two losses from their opening eight matches.
İsmail Kartal's side are aiming to extend a three-match winning run and gain a psychological edge with an away victory. After a goalless draw at Gaziantep FK, Fenerbahçe beat Eyüpspor 8-0 and both Çaykur Rizespor and Alanyaspor 3-0, keeping four consecutive clean sheets and scoring 14 goals in the last three weeks. Marco Asensio and Nathan Ake are ruled out through injury, while international right-back Mert Müldür, sidelined for more than a month after a training injury, is expected to return if selected. Fenerbahçe's probable line-up: Ederson, Semedo, Skriniar, Oppong, Brown, Guendouzi, Kante, Greenwood, İrfan Can Kahveci, Oğuz Aydın, Muric.
Galatasaray will be without Portuguese star Rafael Leao, who suffered a mild-to-moderate groin strain in the 77th minute of last week's 1-0 win over Gençlerbirliği. The hosts go into the game in good spirits after a 4-2 away win over French side Lille, their first victory of this season's UEFA Champions League.
Galatasaray are unbeaten in their last 39 home league matches, recording 31 wins and eight draws since their last home defeat, against Fenerbahçe on 19 May 2024. They have also earned 10 points this season through late goals, including Osimhen's 90th-minute equaliser against Arca Çorum FK, Gabriel Sara's stoppage-time winner at Başakşehir, late strikes from Barış Alper Yılmaz and Mario Lemina against Kasımpaşa, and Deniz Gül's 88th-minute winner at Gençlerbirliği.
A win would give coach Okan Buruk his 120th league victory in charge of Galatasaray. In 150 league games under Buruk, the club have recorded 119 wins, 18 draws and 13 defeats, scoring 354 goals and conceding 125, excluding walkover wins against Gaziantep FK and Hatayspor, who withdrew after the 2023 earthquakes. Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has never lost to Fenerbahçe in four league games and one cup tie, scoring once in the league and twice in a 2-1 Turkish Cup quarter-final win in 2024-25.
