Türkiye and Montenegro will clash at Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium in Tekkeköy on Friday night as they resume their UEFA Nations League campaigns.
The Crescent-Stars lead League B Group 4 with four points from two games, while Montenegro sit at the bottom, yet to secure a point.
Since their quarterfinal run at Euro 2024, Türkiye has started their Nations League campaign unbeaten.
After a scoreless draw with Wales, they secured a 3-1 home win over Iceland.
Kerem Akturkoğlu stole the spotlight with a brilliant hat trick, including a stunning long-range strike, thrilling the Göztepe crowd and lifting Türkiye to the top of League B Group 4, tied with Wales on goal difference.
Under Vincenzo Montella’s 12-month leadership, Türkiye has won seven of 15 matches.
Montella now aims for back-to-back promotions after guiding them to the top of League C last season.
With seven wins in their last 10 home games, Türkiye is proving formidable on home soil.
Ranked 26th by FIFA, Türkiye remains unbeaten in four previous meetings with Montenegro, including a 2-1 victory in their last encounter during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Montenegro have found the back of the net in each of their last three matches against Türkiye, scoring five goals in total, but they have never managed to defeat the Crescent-Stars.
Their form has also dipped recently, with four straight losses across all competitions over the past four months.
After opening 2024 with friendly wins over Belarus and North Macedonia, the Brave Falcons have since stumbled, losing both Nations League matches last month to Iceland (2-0) and Wales (2-1).
Head coach Robert Prosinecki, appointed in February, is now tasked with reversing Montenegro’s slide and avoiding relegation from League B, just as they narrowly did last season, surviving on goal difference.
Ranked 74th by FIFA, Montenegro faces the prospect of setting an unwanted national record – never before have they lost five consecutive matches since becoming an independent football nation in 2007. They’ll be desperate to avoid that fate against Türkiye on Friday.
Türkiye will be without first-choice goalkeeper Mert Günok due to injury, leaving Uğurcan Çakır likely to start in goal. Several other key players, including Doğan Alemdar, Çağlar Söyüncü, Cenk Özkaçar, Ozan Kabak and Ismail Yüksek, are also sidelined.
Barış Alper Yılmaz, who missed the win over Iceland due to suspension, returns and is expected to start up front, replacing Umut Nayir, who hasn’t been called up this time.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Ferdi Kadıoğlu is back in the squad and set to feature at left-back, while Real Madrid’s Arda Güler, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız, and Inter Milan’s 92-cap playmaker Hakan Çalhanoğlu are all in contention for starting roles.
For Montenegro, Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic has been called up and is available for selection despite receiving an eight-match ban from the Football Association for biting an opponent last month.
Veteran striker Stevan Jovetic, with 80 caps to his name and just seven shy of becoming Montenegro’s all-time appearance leader, may replace Osmajic in the starting lineup, while Stefan Mugoša is also pushing for a return.
Miloš Brnovic and Vladimir Jovovic are expected to retain their spots in central midfield, with Lazio’s Adam Marušic likely to start at right-back if Driton Camaj is recalled to the right wing.
