Two sides at opposite ends of the Turkish Super Lig table go head-to-head on Friday, as Bodrumspor look to boost their survival hopes while further denting Fenerbahce's title ambitions.
The hosts currently sit just one place and three points above the relegation zone, while the visitors trail league leaders Galatasaray by nine points, having dropped crucial points before the international break.
Match preview
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Bodrumspor's resurgence under Jose Morais has been nothing short of remarkable, as the newly promoted side, once staring at relegation, have turned their season around with resolute performances, particularly in defence.
Morais' men have kept six consecutive clean sheets in the league (seven in all competitions) while going unbeaten in their last eight matches, including two victories in the Turkish Cup, and during this impressive run, they have secured four wins and two draws in the Super Lig.
Just before the break, Bodrumspor made the most of their numerical advantage against Caykur Rizespor, clinching a 2-0 victory, with an own goal setting them on their way in the first half, before Enis Bardhi sealed the result just past the hour mark.
Fenerbahce represents Bodrum's biggest test yet under Morais, though the hosts' newfound defensive resilience should give them confidence, making this a very different challenge compared to the reverse fixture, where they fell to a 2-0 defeat.
With difficult matches against Galatasaray and Besiktas still to come, Bodrumspor's slender three-point cushion above the drop zone is far from secure.
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Meanwhile, Fenerbahce are still reeling from a frustrating goalless draw at home to Samsunspor, despite registering 26 shots, including six on target, and enjoying a numerical advantage for the final 15 minutes, they failed to find the breakthrough.
That result delivered a blow to the Yellow Canaries' title hopes, widening the gap between them and Galatasaray to nine points, although Fenerbahce do have a game in hand.
Jose Mourinho's side have struggled against the league's top teams this season, collecting just four points from a possible 18 against Galatasaray, Samsunspor, Besiktas, and Eyupspor.
However, their form against the bottom 15 sides has been far more consistent, which bodes well for their trip to Bodrum, and with their European campaign over and dropped points piling up, Fenerbahce must rediscover their momentum as they attempt to stay in the title race.
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Team News
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Bodrumspor face a goalkeeping crisis, with Diogo Sousa suspended and Gokhan Akkan sidelined through injury – as a result, young shot-stopper Kerem Ersunar is set to start between the sticks.
The hosts are also without several key players, including Taylan Antalyali, Ahmet Aslan, Celal Dumanli and Haqi Osman, all of whom are nursing injuries.
Fenerbahce have their own injury concerns in defence, with Diego Carlos and Caglar Soyuncu both ruled out, which means Alexander Djiku and Yusuf Akcicek are likely to start at centre-back.
Midfield dynamo Fred is also sidelined, while Jayden Oosterwolde and Rodrigo Becao have both suffered cruciate ligament injuries, ruling them out for the remainder of the season.
Bodrumspor possible starting lineup:
Ersunar; Celustka, Ajeti, Aytemur, Sen; Mohammed, Degismez, Bilsel; Fredy, Bardhi; Brazao
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Skriniar, Akcicek, Djiku; Aydin, Amrabat, Szymanski, Kostic; Yandas; En-Neysri, Dzeko
We say: Bodrumspor 1-2 Fenerbahce
This is setup to be a challenging encounter for Fenerbahce, given their lacklustre attacking display last time out before gaining a numerical advantage and the defensive solidity Bodrumspor have developed under Morais.
However, the visitors have never lacked quality, and the international break may have helped them sharpen their attacking edge. With that in mind, we expect Fenerbahce to find a way through and narrowly secure victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
