Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Turkish Super match.
The heavy 1:5 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at the start of the Champions League group stage was a real blow to Galatasaray’s pride. Even without the injured Victor Osimhen, the Istanbul giants will look to bounce back against a vulnerable Konyaspor side, who should not prove too difficult to put away.
Galatasaray
That loss in Germany was Galatasaray’s first of the season. Before then, the team had reeled off five straight Super Lig victories, boasting an impressive 15:1 goal difference. Last weekend they saw off Eyüpspor (2:0,) thanks to impact from the bench as Ahmed Kutucu and Barış Yılmaz both registered assists after coming on. Over 90 minutes the champions posted 2.14 xG while restricting their opponents to just 0.38.
Konyaspor
Konyaspor’s recent form has been poor, dropping them into mid-table. A 1:1 draw with Göztepe and defeat to Alanyaspor highlighted their flaws. In the last round the team created more chances than their opponents (1.40 vs 1.32 xG) yet still came away empty-handed. Without playmaker Enis Bardhi, Konyaspor look short of the quality needed to push towards the top six.
Galatasaray vs Konyaspor Prediction
Since the start of 2024 Galatasaray have beaten Konyaspor in five of their last six meetings, including a resounding 5:1 win in April. Expect the balance of chances to fall heavily in favour of the Istanbul side once again.
