After seeing their title charge stumble, Galatasaray will look for an immediate response in the Turkish Super Lig when they host Alanyaspor at Rams Park on Saturday.

Cimbom remain top of the table, yet last weekend’s shock 2-0 defeat at Konyaspor handed rivals Fenerbahce the chance to close the gap to just two points, tightening what is rapidly becoming a gripping title race.

Match preview

It has been a week of contrasting emotions for Galatasaray – while they ultimately achieved continental progression, successive defeats in the Super Lig and the Champions League exposed vulnerabilities that will concern Okan Buruk.

The loss to Konyaspor was their first league setback since November and came in the absence of Victor Osimhen, who was sidelined with a knee problem, while Mauro Icardi was withdrawn at half time due to pain. 

The performance lacked their usual cutting edge and defensive assurance, serving as a reminder that the margin for error at the summit is slim.

There was, however, a memorable European night to follow – despite falling 3-2 after extra time to 10-man Juventus, Galatasaray progressed 7-5 on aggregate to reach the Champions League round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, where they will now face one of English sides Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool. 

After surrendering a three-goal aggregate advantage and seeing the tie level at 5-5, the Lions rediscovered their composure in extra time, with Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz striking decisive blows to silence the Allianz Stadium.

Attention now turns back to domestic matters, where Galatasaray must demonstrate they can withstand sustained pressure from Fenerbahce, but encouragingly, they carry a six-match winning streak against Alanyaspor into this contest and boast an unbeaten home league record this season, having won nine and drawn three of their 12 matches at Rams Park.

Alanyaspor, though frequently on the losing side in this fixture, have made life difficult for the league leaders in recent meetings, with their last three defeats to Galatasaray all coming by a single-goal margin, including a narrow 1-0 reverse in the earlier meeting this term.

The visitors arrive following a 2-1 home defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir, a result that ended a three-match unbeaten run across all competitions (2W, 1D).

Nevertheless, Joao Pereira’s men sit 10th in the table with 26 points from 23 matches and have carved out a reputation for resilience, against even the toughest opponents. 

Indeed, Alanyaspor have drawn 11 league matches this season, more than any other side in the division, and would readily accept another stalemate here – notably, eight of those draws have come away from home, including five in succession, four of which were score draws.

Galatasaray Turkish Super Lig form:

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

Alanyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Alanyaspor form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Seskim Photo TR

Galatasaray will be without Metahan Baltaci, who is suspended following his involvement in a betting scandal, while young defender Arda Unyay remains sidelined through injury.

Otherwise, Buruk has a near full-strength squad to choose from, and the expected return of Osimhen to the starting lineup is a significant boost. 

No player in the league averages more shots per game than the Nigerian’s 3.8, underlining his attacking importance, while Icardi remains the club’s leading league scorer with 13 goals, and it will be interesting to see whether Buruk persists with the two-striker system deployed at some point in midweek.

Alanyaspor’s injury concerns are minimal, with Bulut Buluthan ruled out with a knee problem, while Yusuf Ozdemir serves a suspension following a betting violation.

Florent Hadergjonaj, who has scored in each of his last two matches and created six big chances this season – the most of any Alanyaspor player – is expected to feature prominently again from wing-back as the visitors attempt to frustrate the leaders and spring a surprise.

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Cakir; Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Jakobs; Yilmaz, Torreira, Sara, Lang; Osimhen, Icardi

Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:

P. Victor; Akdag, Aliti, Aksoy; Hardegjonaj, Janvier, Makouta, Ruan; Hwang, Yalcin, Hagi

We say: Galatasaray 2-1 Alanyaspor

Expect a strong reaction from Galatasaray in this clash, as despite recent stumbles, their formidable home record at RAMS Park, Osimhen’s return, and the dominant run against Alanyaspor suggest a return to winning ways.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.