Besiktas will look to end their slump with a win over Bodrumspor in their first-ever meeting, as the two sides clash in round 19 of the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday.
The Black Eagles, still without a permanent manager since Giovanni van Bronckhorst's dismissal on November 30, have struggled to improve on the sixth-place position they held when the Dutchman departed.
Match preview
Interim boss Serdar Topraktepe has yet to spark a revival for Besiktas, managing just one win in five league matches during his tenure, alongside three draws and one defeat.
The lowest point of this run came in a shocking 2-1 loss to bottom-placed Adana Demirspor, who had not won a game all season, after which the Black Eagles have recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws against Alanyaspor and Caykur Rizespor.
Their draw with Rizespor marked Besiktas's first match of 2025, and they followed it up with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sivasspor in the Turkish Cup, leaving them unbeaten so far in the new calendar year.
Topraktepe will be eager to build on this momentum by securing consecutive victories for the first time since October, when Besiktas defeated Konyaspor in the Super Lig and Lyon in the Europa League.
While the hosts are clear favourites, their inconsistency at Vodafone Park raises questions about their ability to secure all three points, having won just once in their last four competitive home matches, a stat that may give their opponents hope.
Bodrumspor, however, have been woeful on the road this season, picking up just four points from a possible 24 – the joint second-worst record in the league – while currently on a four-match away losing streak.
The visitors have also undergone managerial upheaval, with Volkan Demirel replacing Ismet Tasdemir earlier this season – however, the change has not yielded the desired results, as Bodrumspor have slipped from 13th to 17th under Demirel's guidance.
In seven league matches, Demirel has overseen just one win, alongside four losses and two draws, with their most recent Super Lig match ending 1-1 against Kayserispor, marking their first competitive outing of 2025.
Bodrumspor were also involved in a thrilling 4-4 draw with third-division side Kirklarelispor in the Turkish Cup earlier this week, and while this means they are unbeaten in 2025, their inability to win remains a concern.
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Team News
Besiktas continue to grapple with several injury absences, including Tayyip Talha Sanuc, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury and will not return until February, while Gabriel Paulista remains doubtful with a tendon rupture.
Necip Uysal is out until March due to a long-term ligament issue, while Jean Onana and Emrecan Terzi are unavailable with muscle injuries, and Milot Rashica is sidelined with an ankle problem.
For Bodrumspor, Mustafa Erdilman, Suleyman Ozdamar and Tunahan Akpinar remain out with no confirmed return dates.
Additionally, Taulant Seferi is suspended for this clash after accumulating too many yellow cards.
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Svensson, Uduokhai, Topcu, Muci; Musrati, Ucan; Fernandes, Zaynutdinov, Rafa; Immobile
Bodrumspor possible starting lineup:
Sousa; Bilsel, Aytemur, Ajeti, Sen; Antalyali, Mohammed; Bayrakdar, Ribeiro, Dimitrov; Puscas
We say: Besiktas 2-1 Bodrumspor
Besiktas are expected to capitalize on Bodrumspor's poor away form and defensive frailties, and with the Black Eagles regaining momentum after their Turkish Cup win, their superior quality and home advantage should see them edge out a struggling Bodrumspor side in what is expected to be a hard-fought victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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