Gaziantep vs Fenerbahce

On Saturday, Gaziantep will host title-chasing Fenerbahce at the Gaziantep Stadium in an attempt to further undermine the visitors' hopes of winning the Turkish Super Lig.

The Yellow Canaries enter needing a reaction following a disappointing 3-3 draw last time out that severely hampered their attempt to unseat Galatasaray, even though the hosts have regained form on their home field.

In their most recent game, Gaziantep lost to Istanbul Basaksehir by a slim margin of 2-1 on the road. This outcome did not accurately represent their play, as they had the better opportunities throughout the ninety minutes, but Basaksehir's brutal finishing put them out of the game.

At home, Gaziantep have been a force to reckon with, securing four consecutive league victories at the Gaziantep Stadium. This impressive streak has fueled their late-season resurgence, lifting them to 42 points—just eight behind fourth-placed Eyupspor, who have played an extra game.

The team is riding a wave of momentum, with manager Selçuk İnan implementing a disciplined, high-energy approach that has kept opponents under constant pressure. Their strong form has put them within two points of last season’s total—with five matches still to play after this one.

Yet, their upcoming clash presents their biggest remaining challenge. Gaziantep have lost their last eight meetings against Fenerbahçe and have already fallen to them twice this season—in the Turkish Cup and the reverse league fixture.

Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, suffered a major blow to their title hopes last weekend after a chaotic 3-3 draw with Kayserispor. Despite creating numerous chances, defensive errors proved costly once again, as they conceded a stoppage-time equalizer.

With just six games left, Jose Mourinho's team is now five points behind league leaders Galatasaray. With the margin of error getting smaller, a loss here would virtually end their chances of winning the title, which would only heighten the criticism already being directed at Mourinho and club president Ali Koc.

Fenerbahce's away record has remained a strength despite ongoing concerns about their defensive organization and game management. The Yellow Canaries have won eight of their last 12 away games in all competitions and drawn four others; their most recent road loss came against Besiktas in December.