Galatasaray take on Basaksehir in the penultimate week of the Super Lig on Sunday at the Turk Telekom Arena.
The Premier League has come to an end so if you are looking for the best options on the betting markets take a look at these carefully considered football tips ranked in order of popularity. You simply will not find a more important game in European football on Sunday than the Istanbul derby.
Galatasaray were eight points behind Başakşehir just a few weeks ago but are now first in the table by virtue of head to head results.
The Super Lig will be determined by head to head results if Galatasaray and Başakşehir end the league campaign of equal points.
The Lions haven’t been playing breathtaking football but this is crunch time and nobody handles pressure at this stage of the season better than Fatih Terim.
Terim has been there, done that several times over. He will lift the league title for the 7th time if Galatasaray are crowned champions.
Terim has no major injury concerns other than Emre Akbaba.
The Yellow-Reds will be playing at home and the advantage of having the 12th man behind them cannot be emphasized enough.
Expect a raucous atmosphere. Galatasaray haven’t lost a single derby at home this season. Just a fortnight ago they stopped a red hot Beşiktaş in their tracks beating their rivals 2-0.
Terim tends to get his best results in high-pressure games. He’s a larger than life character who has a paternal approach to management. Abdullah Avci is the opposite. He’s calm, rarely loses his cool and is first and foremost a technical coach.
Başakşehir operated like a machine for much of season playing well organised, disciplined football. Avci has been labeled a defensive coach but to be fair his side have played pretty aesthetically pleasing football this season. That is not to say they haven’t defended well. In fact, they have conceded fewer goals than any other team in the league this term.
Just a few weeks ago they looked unstoppable but I always thought the pressure would get to them at some stage and it finally did when they lost 2–1 against Beşiktaş – their first defeat of 2019.
They actually went five games without a win before coming from behind to beat Ankaragucu on Sunday.
Başakşehir would become the sixth side to win the Super Lig title if they end up being crowned champions. However, I just don’t see them beating Galatasaray away from home. Even a Başakşehir in their prime would struggle for three points and a draw is simply not enough as it would mean the Lions stat top.
Başakşehir are strongest when playing on the counter-attack. They will struggle to bring the game to Galatasaray especially away and it could play into the home sides hands.
Prediction: Galatasaray Draw No Bet
