Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Turkish Super Lig match.
Following their recent win over Kayserispor, Galatasaray have secured the Turkish Super Lig title with two games to spare, having already completed a domestic double earlier this season by winning the Turkish Cup. The question now is whether Galatasaray will ease off in the remaining fixtures.
Göztepe
That may well be the case, but Göztepe also have little left to fight for. Heading into Matchday 36, they were still in the hunt for fifth place, which would have earned the club a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs. However, that target collapsed following a 6:3 defeat away to relegation-threatened Çaykur Rizespor. It marked the highest number of goals conceded by Göztepe this season—the previous worst being four. Even if they finish eighth, the campaign would still be seen as a success considering Göztepe were only promoted from the TFF First League last term.
Galatasaray
Galatasaray have now been crowned champions for a third straight season. Compared to last year, Galatasaray’s lead at the top is significantly larger—unless Galatasaray opt to ease off in these closing matches. It is expected that some younger and fringe players will be given game time, which is typical practice at this stage of the season. Nevertheless, Galatasaray remain far superior to all other squads in the division aside from Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray are widely expected to come out on top in this clash. That’s hardly surprising given Galatasaray’s current run of nine consecutive league wins, including three emphatic victories in the last four games.
Göztepe vs Galatasaray Prediction
While a heavy defeat for Göztepe isn’t necessarily on the cards, backing a straightforward win for Galatasaray appears to be a solid pick. They have won the last six meetings between the two squads.
