As the international break approaches, Galatasaray is basking in the glow of triumph, having kicked off the weekend with a comprehensive victory, while Fenerbahce concluded theirs by dropping vital points.
The reigning champions, Galatasaray, commenced the matchweek by hosting Antalyaspor on Friday night, with a chance to extend their lead to 10 points—at least temporarily. The match unfolded perfectly for Okan Buruk and his squad.
Guided by their star player, the formidable Victor Osimhen, Galatasaray delivered their finest display in several months, overwhelming their foes with a 4-0 win.
The Nigerian forward netted a hat-trick and could have easily scored a fourth, but opted to let Alvaro Morata, who also had an impressive outing, take a penalty to double the team’s tally.
Although not the flashiest of hat-tricks, Osimhen was always positioned perfectly, marking him as the first striker in Turkey this season to reach 20 goals, overtaking Krzysztof Piatek atop the Golden Boot leaderboard.
With 20 goals and four assists from 22 league appearances this season, his stats speak volumes, and with six goals in his last three outings, he’s hitting his stride at just the right moment for the champions.
Left-back Eren Elmali, who transitioned to the club from Trabzonspor in January, continued his run of excellent performances. He has yet to deliver a disappointing showing and seems to have been a savvy acquisition in a position that had been troubling Galatasaray.
There was also a revival in form for the dynamic winger Baris Alper Yilmaz. After a breakout 2023/24 season and a strong start this time around, his recent performances had slipped below expectations. However, he returned to top form against Antalyaspor, notably providing a stunning assist for Osimhen’s second goal.
While it was a perfect day for Galatasaray, the same cannot be said for Fenerbahce.
Fenerbahce finished the weekend by welcoming third-placed Samsunspor, a match many predicted would be challenging for Jose Mourinho’s team—especially following their draining Europa League exit to Rangers after 120 minutes just three days prior.
They toiled for 98 minutes, and even with Samsunspor reduced to 10 men with about 20 minutes remaining, they couldn’t find a breakthrough, ultimately settling for a lacklustre 0-0 draw.
Mourinho was quick to commend his players afterwards, claiming they created numerous chances and could have secured a victory with better finishing.
Nonetheless, the reality is that Fenerbahce only began to create real opportunities after Samsunspor received a red card, appearing quite flat and one-dimensional before that moment.
Their tactics relied heavily on crossing to Edin Dzeko in the box, but the opposition were organised defensively enough that it didn’t pose a significant threat.
Samsunspor could also credit their goalkeeper, Okan Kocuk—previously with Galatasaray—for his remarkable save in the dying seconds, preventing Dzeko’s shot.
A large portion of the credit must go to coach Thomas Reis, who has done a remarkable job at Samsun this season, transforming them into a well-drilled, robust outfit. If they invest wisely in the summer, they could aim for a European spot next year.
For Fenerbahce, it’s been a dismal week. Out of Europe and now nine points behind Galatasaray—though they do have a game in hand—they find themselves lagging once more.
Interestingly, Fenerbahce has yet to record a win against any of the top five teams in the Super Lig this season, revealing their struggles against superior opposition.
Against Galatasaray, Samsunspor, Besiktas, and Eyupspor, they’ve managed only four points from a possible 18 this season. This is nowhere near good enough, and if they fail to clinch the title, they will reflect on these missed opportunities as pivotal moments.
Mixed fortunes for Besiktas and Trabzonspor
Besiktas manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has faced a wake-up call in recent weeks. After starting his Super Lig tenure with four wins and a draw from the first five games, Besiktas has now succumbed to back-to-back losses, including a disheartening 1-0 defeat to Konyaspor at the weekend.
To make matters worse, Konya saw a player sent off after just 25 minutes and astonishingly played the last 30 minutes with nine men.
Konya scored just before half-time, while Besiktas struggled to create significant chances, with their best attempts coming from long range or from left-back Arthur Masuaku, who proved one of their most creative outlets that day.
There appears to be a key structural issue in the midfield for Besiktas that hinders their performance against teams set up to defend. Holding midfielder Al Musrati was loaned to Monaco in January, allowing Gedson Fernandes to push forward with more freedom.
However, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s introduction has required Fernandes to play deeper, which is not his strong suit.
Solskjaer must resolve this issue if he wishes to steer Besiktas away from further disappointing results.
Meanwhile, Fatih Tekke took charge of his first match for Trabzonspor, securing a 3-0 win against Istanbul Basaksehir.
The performance wasn’t the most assured, and they owed much to their excellent goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, who was instrumental, saving a penalty from Piatek and making several other vital stops. Remarkably, it marked their first away victory in the Super Lig this season, signalling a strong start for Tekke.
Trabzon’s right-back Pedro Malheiro also delivered an impressive performance, while Deniz Turuc received a red card for Istanbul Basaksehir.
You may have noticed that this week has seen an unusual number of red cards, with a total of SEVEN players dismissed during the matchweek.
A fitting way to wrap up this segment.
Highlight of the Week
As previously mentioned, Samsunspor goalkeeper Okan Kocuk produced a remarkable save in the 97th minute of the match, denying Fenerbahce a crucial three points and helping his side to a commendable away draw.
Team of the Week
Trabzonspor’s Ugurcan also earns a spot on the team following a stellar performance, while 18-year-old defender Yasin Ozcan from Kasimpasa, who is set for a move to Aston Villa in the upcoming summer, also makes the list.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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