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Fenerbahce, based on Istanbul's Anatolian side, will host their European-side rivals Galatasaray on Monday evening in a high-stakes derby that could alter the course of the Turkish Super Lig title race.
The derby, widely regarded as the world’s only intercontinental football rivalry, will kick off at 8.00 p.m. local time (GMT+3) at Chobani Stadium Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Sports Complex, marking the 404th meeting between the two sides with first place in the league at stake.
Currently second in the standings with 31 points, Fenerbahce enters the clash just one point behind leaders Galatasaray, and a victory in front of their home crowd would push them to the summit of the table.
The team remains undefeated in league play this season, having secured nine wins and four draws. Under head coach Domenico Tedesco, Fenerbahce has also avoided defeat in its last 11 matches across domestic and European competitions.
Galatasaray, top of the table with 32 points from 13 matches, faces the derby with several key absences. Seven players are ruled out due to injury, suspension, or disciplinary action.
Wilfried Singo, Ismail Jakobs, Kaan Ayhan, and Berkan Kutlu are sidelined through injury, while Roland Sallai is suspended. Defenders Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci are also unavailable due to penalties related to an ongoing betting investigation.
However, head coach Okan Buruk sees the return of three important players. Star striker Victor Osimhen, midfielder Mario Lemina, and winger Yunus Akgun have rejoined full training. Osimhen and Lemina are expected to feature in the starting lineup, while Akgun is likely to begin on the bench.
By contrast, Fenerbahce has a near-full squad. Only Caglar Soyuncu and Sebastian Szymanski remain doubtful as they continue to recover from recent injuries. Neither is expected to start.
The Fenerbahce-Galatasaray rivalry began in 1909 with a friendly match that ended in a 2–0 win for Galatasaray. Since then, the two clubs have met 403 times across all competitions.
Fenerbahce leads the head-to-head record with 149 wins, while Galatasaray has claimed 130 victories. The remaining 124 matches have ended in draws. In terms of goals scored, Fenerbahce holds the advantage with 543 goals to Galatasaray’s 504, including three awarded by default.
Although Fenerbahce has the historical edge, recent form favors Galatasaray, who have lost just one of the last eight official matches between the sides.
Galatasaray has also shown strong form in recent visits to Fenerbahce's home ground, Chobani Stadium. Since the 2017–2018 season, the team has played nine official matches there—eight in the Super Lig and one in the Turkish Cup—recording five wins, three draws, and only one loss.
Notably, Galatasaray broke a decades-long winless streak in Kadikoy with a derby victory on February 23, 2020.
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