Gaziantep vs Istanbul Basaksehir: Super Lig Season Finale Preview

Istanbul Basaksehir will face Gaziantep in the concluding fixture of the 2025-26 Turkish Super Lig campaign this Saturday. Basaksehir are vying for a top-five position, currently sitting sixth, just one point behind fifth-placed Goztepe. Gaziantep, having already secured their Super Lig safety, are looking to finish the season on a high note and potentially climb further up the league table.

Basaksehir's European Ambitions

The "Grey Owls" from Istanbul boosted their European qualification hopes with a decisive 3-0 victory over Samsunspor in their previous outing, featuring goals from Eldor Shomurodov, Yusuf Sari, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev. This win marked their third in the last five matches, though all these successes came on home turf and involved at least three goals. Their away form has been less convincing, with no wins in their last four road trips, which included challenging encounters against top-three teams Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Trabzonspor. A victory for Basaksehir, coupled with a slip-up by Goztepe against Samsunspor, could see Nuri Sahin's side clinch fifth place, potentially securing a European spot depending on the outcome of the Turkish Cup final between Trabzonspor and Konyaspor. Their strong attacking record, with 56 goals scored this season—the highest outside the top four—will be crucial against Gaziantep.

Gaziantep's Recent Struggles

Gaziantep has endured a challenging run of form, losing five of their last seven matches. Under new manager Mirel Radoi, who took charge in mid-April, all three of their recent games have resulted in multi-goal defeats. After a 3-0 loss to Eyüpspor and a 2-0 home defeat against Besiktas, they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Goztepe last weekend. These results underscore Gaziantep's difficulties in 2026, where they have managed only three wins from 16 league matches, alongside five draws and eight losses. Their defensive vulnerabilities are also evident, having conceded 56 goals this Super Lig season, the second-highest in the division. At home, Gaziantep's record stands at five wins, five draws, and six defeats, with only one victory in their last five league matches at Gaziantep Stadium.

Key Facts

Head-to-Head and Team News

Historically, Istanbul Basaksehir has dominated this fixture, winning five of the last six encounters, including a resounding 5-1 victory in the reverse fixture this season. However, Gaziantep secured a 3-0 win in Basaksehir's last visit to their stadium.

For Basaksehir, forward Bertug Yildirim is a major doubt after being forced off with an injury in the last match. If he's unavailable, Davie Selke, who replaced him previously, is expected to lead the attack. Eldor Shomurodov, who scored his 21st league goal from the penalty spot last weekend, remains a key offensive threat, just one goal behind Trabzonspor's Paul Onuachu in the Golden Boot race.

Gaziantep continues to be without Ali Mevran Ablak and Salem M'Bakata due to long-term knee injuries. Badou Ndiaye is still recovering to full fitness. Yusuf Kabadayi might miss his fifth consecutive outing, and Nihad Mujakic is also a significant doubt after missing the previous game due to injury.

Predicted Lineups

Gaziantep possible starting lineup: Gorgen; Sangare, Abena, Kizildag, Rodrigues; Gidado, Camara; Sorescu, Maxim, Kozlowski; Bayo

Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup: Sengezer; Sahiner, Duarte, Opoku, Karatas; Kemen, Gunes; Sari, Shomurodov, Harit; Yildirim

Match Prediction

Despite their recent struggles away from home, Istanbul Basaksehir enters this match with higher stakes and a clear objective of securing a European qualification spot. Facing a Gaziantep side that has been in poor form and has limited motivation beyond improving their final league position, Basaksehir appears to have a strong opportunity to secure three points. Their superior attacking prowess and historical dominance in this fixture further tip the scales in their favour.

Fuente: Sports Mole Football RSS – https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/istanbul-basaksehir/preview/gaziantep-vs-istanbul-prediction-team-news-lineups_597538.html