Sports Mole previews Monday’s Turkish Super Lig clash between Galatasaray and Antalyaspor, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Turkish Super Lig leaders, Galatasaray, will set sights on retaining top spot when they host Antalyaspor on Monday evening.
The hosts’ European dreams came to an end last week after their defeat to Sparta Prague in the Europa League knockout playoffs, while their visitors find themselves on a concerning four-match winless streak in the league.
Match preview
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Galatasaray can now set their sights solely on the Super Lig title race after their European adventure came to a crashing end on Thursday with a 4-1 defeat to Sparta Prague.
The Lions had a first-leg advantage, having won 3-2 in Turkey, and seemed on course for qualification after a 1-1 draw in the first half in Czech Republic.
However, the second half saw them collapse like a house of cards, conceding three goals between the 74th minute and stoppage time.
Despite the European disappointment, they maintained their two-point lead at the top of the Super Lig table with a convincing 3-0 win over Ankaragucu in their last league outing.
With 12 games left to play, Okan Buruk will be hoping his side can maintain their perfect home record when they welcome Antalyaspor on Monday.
The Lions are unbeaten in the last 16 encounters between both teams, winning the last three.
Meanwhile, Antalyaspor are in dire straits, having squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against bottom-placed Istanbulspor last time out.
After starting the year with an impressive seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions, the Scorpions have hit a wall, failing to win in their last five matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Besiktas in the Turkish Cup.
This poor run has effectively ended their European hopes, as they currently languish in eighth place in the Super Lig standings with 35 points from 26 matches, leaving them eight points adrift of the Europa Conference League qualification spot and just seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Things could get even worse for them as they travel to face the league leaders in their next league game.
Failure to win here would see the Scorpions go without a win in four consecutive away games for the first time this season.
Galatasaray Turkish Super Lig form:
Galatasaray form (all competitions):
Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:
Antalyaspor form (all competitions):
Team News
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Galatasaray will be without winter signing Serge Aurier, who is yet to recover from a back injury.
Hakim Ziyech will also be missing as he is still recovering from a thigh injury that will keep him out until next month while Tanguy Ndombele is out with a muscle injury.
Mauro Icardi scored his 13th goal of the season against Ankaragucu and should lead the line once again.
Israeli striker Sagiv Jehezkel has missed each of Antalyaspor’s last eight matches through a club suspension and is also out of contention for Saturday’s clash.
Adam Buksa now has 12 goals in 23 league appearances and we expect the Lens loanee to spearhead Antalyaspor’s attack once again.
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Boey, Nelsson, Sanchez, B.A. Yilmaz; Demirbay, Torreira; Zaha, Mertens, Akturkoglu; Icardi
Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:
Leite; Yesilyurt, Sari, Ozturk, Vural; Kaluzinski, Safuri; Bytyqi, Saric, Larsson; Buksa
We say: Galatasaray 3-0 Antalyaspor
Galatasaray have too much quality for the away side, and this should be a routine win for the league leaders this weekend. Antalyaspor are on a downward spiral and do not look like they will stop the rot on Monday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
