Fenerbahce – Rizespor: Preview & Prediction [divider]
League leaders Fenerbahçe take on Rizespor at the Şükrü Saracoğlu stadium aiming to maintain their 100 percent home record.
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe are in high spirits after beating rivals Beşiktaş 2-0 in the Istanbul derby. The victory came at a cost as İsmail Kartal will be without the injured Emre Belözoğlu and the suspended Caner Erkin.
Diego is expected to get the nod with Belözoğlu being out and Hasan Ali Kaldırım is likely to replace Erkin.
Kartal plays the same system introduced by Aykut Kocaman and carried on by Ersun Yanal last season. Fenerbahçe are a well settled, balanced side playing a 4-3-3 formation.
Rizespor
The Black Sea side are one of the few teams in the league to have a better record away from home. Rizespor have won their last two away games and play some of the best counter-attacking football in the league.
Rizespor will however, be without one of their most influential players, the ‘Bale of Asia’ Ali Adnan who is suspended. The away side could struggle on the break without their in form left-back.
Prediction
The last time Fenerbahçe last against Rizespor at home was 1981. The Şükrü Saracoğlu has proven to be a fortress for Fenerbahçe over the past few seasons and it would be a big surprise if Rizespor were to even scrape a point.
Fenerbahçe Win
