THERE looked set to be a major Rangers reunion in a huge derby clash in Turkey last night.
However, it didn’t really materialise that way.
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Trabzonspor and Besiktas faced-off in what is one of Turkish football’s fiercest rivalries.
And the clash looked set to pit some familiar faces against each other.
Former Rangers duo Borna Barisic and John Lundstram both joined Trabzonspor in the summer after their Ibrox contracts expired.
And last night, their team faced off against Besiktas who are now managed by ex-Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
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The teams headed into the mouth watering clash on the back of differing fortunes to start the season.
Trabzonspor had failed to win any of their previous two Turkish Super Lig matches and had also crashed out of Europa League qualifying.
Besiktas, on the other hand, had been enjoying a superb start to life under van Bronckhorst.
They’d won three out of three heading into the fixture having also won the Turkish Super Cup.
But anyone hoping for a collision course involving the three ex-Rangers men were ultimately left disappointed.
While van Bronckhorst, of course, took his place in the dugout, none of his former Gers players were lining-up to face his players.
Lundstram, who’s endured a difficult start at the club, was named among the subs.
Barisic wasn’t even in the squad.
The Croatia international has been in and out of the team this season, starting three of Trabzonspor’s six matches in all competitions.
But while Lundstram was able to make an 89th minute substitute appearance in what turned into a dramatic 1-1 draw, Barisic was missing out altogether.
And it appears that’s because he’s ultimately fallen ‘victim’ to a little known Turkish rule.
The Turkish Football Federation place limits on the number of foreign players teams are allowed to register in their Super Lig squad.
The maximum number of foreign players is 14.
But that number is even LESS when it comes to the number of foreign players teams are allowed to name in a match day squad.
They’re only allowed to have 12 foreign players in their 21-man squad for a league game.
And despite being one of Trabzonspor’s major new signings this summer, it was Barisic who missed the cut for the huge derby clash according to Taka.
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Earlier this year, the federation confirmed that the number of foreign players in squads will decrease FURTHER over the next few years.
It will reduce to just 11 players in a match day squad from 2027/28.
However, they removed a previous restriction at the same time.
Prior to this season, there was a limit on the number of foreign players Turkish sides were allowed to field in their starting XI in league matches.
However, managers are able to name an entire team made up of non-Turkish players from this season onwards if they so desire.
As mentioned, the match finished 1-1.
Trabzonspor’s Edin Visca was sent off just 13 minutes into the match but they dramatically took the lead four minutes later through former West Brom man Okay Yokuslu.
Gedson Fernandes, once of Tottenham, levelled things up before half-time and that’s how it finished.
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Elsewhere, Ryan Jack made his debut for Turkish outfit Esenler Erokspor.
The midfielder came on as a sub as his new team came from a goal down to beat Igdir 2-1.
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