It will be an all Istanbul affair on Saturday evening in the Super Lig, when Besiktas host Istanbulspor.

With title ambitions almost mathematically impossible, Besiktas will just look to hold on to a European place for the rest of the season.

Match preview

Besiktas now find themselves a healthy distance behind the top two in the Super Lig, but sitting, and remaining, in third place will guarantee a return to European football next season.

A sixth-place finish last season meant Besiktas have been absent from continental football this campaign, but a four-point advantage over Adana Demirspor in fourth means they are in pole position to qualify for the Europa Conference League at least.

They extended that lead last weekend by coming through a tricky test on paper away to another local side, Istanbul Basaksehir, albeit aided by an early red card for their opponents, to win 2-0.

However, picking up just two points from a possible nine either side of the season's brief interruption following the earthquake in the country truly ended any title hopes BJK may have had in disappointing fashion.

Senol Gunes's side had returned from the World Cup in electric form, winning five games in a row to really put the pressure on Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, but the relentlessness of both means they have put great distance between themselves and Besiktas.

The club seem to have found an apt replacement for Wout Weghorst up front though, as Vincent Aboubakar, now in his third spell at the club, has scored in his last two games, helping Besiktas to six points.

Improving on the result from the reverse fixture where the sides drew 2-2 will be top priority for Besiktas, in what is a first competitive home fixture against Istanbulspor in almost 19 years.

It may not be all plain sailing for Gunes and his players though, as Istanbulspor are on a remarkable run of form which is greatly aiding their survival push.

They have certainly picked up where they left off before the season was paused, hammering Sivasspor 3-0 on Monday evening.

That result marked a third win in a row for the newly-promoted side, made surprising by the fact they had failed to even win successive matches at any point this season before now.

After letting in eight goals in back-to-back defeats to Trabzonspor and Kayserispor, they have conceded just once in those three victories.

It was an area of the pitch which needed instant improvement because they still have the worst defensive record in the division despite the recent upturn.

Fatih Tekke's side are still in the relegation zone, but they have closed the gap significantly, sitting just one point off 12th place.

Team News

Dele Alli is unlikely to feature for Besiktas again this season after manager Gunes ostracised him from the squad in the past week.

Alli has not been named in the matchday squad for the last two games with Gunes disappointed in his performances, meaning the club will not be looking to make his loan move from Everton permanent.

The arrival of Alexandru Maxim from Gaziantep may well have knocked him even further down the pecking order.

The Romanian scored 40 goals in three years at the club before he was allowed to leave on loan after his parent club pulled out of the league last month.

Welinton is available for selection again after serving a suspension against Basaksehir, while Rachid Ghezzal is the only injury absentee for Besiktas here.

Istanbulspor will be without Okan Erdogan after he picked up his fourth booking of the season against Sivasspor.

Ivorian Simon Deli, who has recently joined from Adana Demirspor, may make his debut at centre-back in Erdogan's place.

Apart from that, Tekke will have a full squad to choose from, with no known injury concerns at the moment.

Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Bulut, Saiss, Colley, Masuaku; Redmond, Hadziahmetovic, Ucan, Gedson Fernandes, Tosun; Aboubakar

Istanbulspor possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Duhaney, Deli, Yesil, Aksu; Sarikaya, Ba, Rroca; Eyenga-Lokilo, Eze, Ethemi

We say: Besiktas 2-1 Istanbulspor

Having recovered their form in recent weeks, Besiktas should have enough to win on home soil in this Istanbul derby.

Istanbulspor have proved they are a threat, but the sides they have beaten in the last three games have all been a level below Besiktas.


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