Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Süper Lig match.
Tonight, the Istanbul derby between Galatasaray and Beşiktaş wraps up the latest round of the Turkish championship. Beşiktaş trail the reigning champions by two points based on points lost, and they will be eager to attack on their opponent’s turf, especially since they already claimed victory in their head-to-head meeting three months ago.
Galatasaray
Since their defeat to Young Boys in the Champions League qualifiers (4:2 on aggregate), Galatasaray have been unbeaten in 10 consecutive matches, scoring at least two goals in nine of those contests. Following the international break, they defeated Antalyaspor (3:0) and Elfsborg (4:3), with Mauro Icardi making a significant impact (3 goals in 168 minutes) and relegating the star-studded Victor Osimhen to the bench. The Istanbul side have netted 27 goals in nine Süper Lig matches—comfortably the best record.
Beşiktaş
The revamped Beşiktaş, along with their closest rivals, remain one of the only unbeaten teams in the championship. Last weekend against Konyaspor (2:0), Ciro Immobile and Rafa Silva shone for Beşiktaş, with the Italian leading the Süper Lig goal-scoring charts (8 goals). On Thursday, the team overcame Lyon away in the Europa League (1:0), generating 1.82 xG with 12 shots—a respectable performance against a top opponent.
Galatasaray vs Beşiktaş Prediction
In the August Süper Cup, Galatasaray struggled defensively against Beşiktaş (0:5 and 6-16 on shots). The upcoming derby promises to deliver plenty of goals, especially as the favourites have hit their stride in attack.
