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Galatasaray is just one point away from securing their 25th Turkish Super Lig title and becoming the first club in Turkish football history to earn a fifth star. A draw against Kayserispor this weekend will be enough for the reigning champions to clinch the trophy with two games to spare.
With an 8-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahçe and three matches remaining, Galatasaray is on the verge of cementing its dominance in Turkish football under head coach Okan Buruk.
Last week, the yellow-reds added the Ziraat Turkish Cup to their collection with a 3-0 win over Trabzonspor and now stand poised to complete a memorable domestic double.
Galatasaray has been outstanding this season, boasting 27 wins, 5 draws, and only 1 loss in 33 matches so far. Their first-leg clash against Kayserispor ended in a commanding 5-1 victory. The team has been unstoppable recently, winning their last eight games while scoring 25 goals and conceding just 4.
At home, Galatasaray remain unbeaten in their last 16 league matches and aim to celebrate their championship in front of their passionate fans at RAMS Park.
Galatasaray will host Bellona Kayserispor in the 36th round of the Super Lig. A single point from this match will mathematically secure the title for the yellow-reds. The match will kick off at 7:00 p.m. (GMT +3) at RAMS Park, with referee Ali Sansalan in charge.
In the first half of the season, Galatasaray convincingly defeated Kayserispor 5-1 on the road, with Osimhen and Baris Alper Yilmaz each scoring twice, alongside a goal from Yunus Akgun.
Since their only loss on March 29th against Besiktas (2-1), Galatasaray have won eight consecutive matches across all competitions. They beat Reeder Samsunspor, Sipay Bodrum FK, Ikas Eyupspor, Net Global Sivasspor, and Trabzonspor in the league and eliminated Fenerbahce, TUMOSAN Konyaspor, and Trabzonspor in the Turkish Cup.
During this run, they scored 25 goals while conceding only 4.
Galatasaray have not lost in their last 16 home league matches, last falling to Fenerbahce in the 37th week of the previous season. This campaign, they have recorded 13 wins and 3 draws at RAMS Park.
Galatasaray will field a full-strength team against Kayserispor, with no injured or suspended players. The match is expected to be played in a sold-out stadium, with fans eager to witness the potential crowning moment.
By securing this title, Galatasaray will become the first Turkish club authorized to display five stars on their jerseys—each star representing five league championships. Currently, they are the only club with four stars, and this triumph will mark their 25th league title.
After a shaky start to the season, losing 5-1 to Besiktas in the Turkcell Super Cup, Galatasaray quickly recovered and lifted the Ziraat Turkish Cup last week. Now, the focus is on clinching the league title and securing a prestigious double.
Okan Buruk is on the verge of winning his fourth managerial league title. He previously won with Istanbul Basaksehir in 2019-2020 and has led Galatasaray to titles in the last two seasons. A successful campaign would mean his third consecutive championship with Galatasaray and his fourth overall.
Counting his playing career, Buruk would extend his total championship tally to eleven.
He will also become the fourth manager in Super Lig history to win three straight titles and the third Turkish coach to win four league championships. Additionally, Buruk has lifted the Turkish Cup seven times—five as a player and twice as a manager—cementing his status among the country's football greats.
Galatasaray's imminent title would continue a remarkable streak of Turkish coaches winning the league. Since the 2007-2008 season, every Super Lig champion has been led by a Turkish manager.
Securing at least a point against Kayserispor would extend this run to 18 consecutive seasons. If Galatasaray clinches the title, six players will celebrate their first-ever league championship: Gabriel Sara, Ismail Jakobs, Eren Elmalı, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Ahmed Kutucu, and Berat Lus.
This weekend’s match will mark the 58th meeting between the two clubs in the Turkish Super Lig. Galatasaray holds a dominant record with 35 wins compared to Kayserispor’s 5, with 17 draws in between.
In Istanbul, Galatasaray has won 22 of 28 league encounters, drawing 4 and losing 2, scoring 81 goals and conceding 20.
Galatasaray’s largest victories over Kayserispor came with two 6-0 wins during the 2015-2016 and 2022-2023 seasons at home. Kayserispor’s best result was a 3-0 home victory in the 2021-2022 season.
The highest-scoring league match between the two sides took place in the 1985-1986 season, a 5-2 Galatasaray win featuring seven goals in total.
Victor Osimhen’s stellar form has attracted global attention. The Nigerian striker has scored 35 goals and provided 8 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions this season.
His main rival for the African Player of the Year award is Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who has tallied 33 goals and 23 assists in 50 games. PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, fresh off a Champions League final, is also in the mix.
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