Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Turkish Cup match.
This clash had all the makings of a final, but the draw has delivered a blockbuster Istanbul derby in the quarter-finals. For either side, an early elimination from the Turkish Cup would be a bitter pill — and losing to your fiercest rival only compounds the blow.
Fenerbahçe
The two Istanbul giants dominate the Süper Lig, with Fenerbahçe trailing Galatasaray by six points — though they do have a game in hand. They have only lost once in 2025 — a 3:1 defeat to Rangers in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie. But if there’s one thing the Portuguese manager knows, it’s how to win silverware. With a résumé stacked with domestic and European triumphs — including five continental trophies — José Mourinho brings an edge to knockout football. When these sides met in the league earlier this year, Galatasaray couldn’t break down Fenerbahçe at home (0:0).
Galatasaray
Galatasaray sit top of the Süper Lig on 71 points but slipped up in their last outing, losing 2:1 to Beşiktaş in another fiery derby. As is often the case in Turkish football’s fiercest battles, the match was riddled with drama — including red cards for both sides. Galatasaray played with 10 men from the 36th minute after Przemysław Frankowski was sent off. They managed to equalise before the break, but Beşiktaş eventually made their numerical advantage count late on.
Fenerbahçe vs Galatasaray Prediction
Much will depend on the details, including potential dismissals. If they can avoid those, Fenerbahçe have a better chance of success, primarily due to José Mourinho’s experience in cup competitions, even if the game goes beyond 90 minutes.
