Besiktas vs Rizespor

Besiktas are set to host Caykur Rizespor on Sunday with a clear objective in mind — to secure a top-four finish in the Turkish Super Lig and confirm their spot in next season’s UEFA Europa League.

The Black Eagles currently occupy fourth place with 59 points, holding a five-point cushion over Istanbul Basaksehir in fifth, with only two games left to play.

After a rough patch in April — four matches without a win, including two losses and two draws — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have regained momentum at a crucial point in the season. They're now unbeaten in their last five games, positioning themselves well in the race for Europe, especially with five European qualification spots now available thanks to Galatasaray’s Turkish Cup win.

Besiktas’ resurgence began with a 1-1 draw against Goztepe, followed by three straight victories over Hatayspor, Fenerbahce, and Adana Demirspor. Although they were recently held to another 1-1 draw by Alanyaspor, they remain firmly in control of their European ambitions.

That string of positive results briefly lifted them into third place before they slipped back to fourth. Now, they need just a single point from their clash with Rizespor to guarantee a Europa League berth before the final round of fixtures.

The Black Eagles will take confidence from their impressive record in this fixture, going unbeaten in their last 17 meetings with Rizespor.

Rizespor, meanwhile, travel to Istanbul with safety in the league already secured and little at stake beyond pride. They ensured their Super Lig status for another season with a high-scoring 6-3 win over Goztepe last weekend, though questions remain over the future of manager Ilhan Palut following an underwhelming campaign.

Currently sitting on 43 points and comfortably above the relegation zone, Rizespor will look to end a few negative trends. They’ve yet to defeat Besiktas in over ten years and have lost each of their last five away matches across all competitions.