After seeing their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig campaign end, Besiktas will hope to quickly bounce back when they take on Kasimpasa at Tupras Stadyumu on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, the visitors will also head into this clash hoping to avoid successive defeats after seeing their four-match unbeaten streak end last time out.
Match preview
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Besiktas faced reigning champions and current leaders, Galatasaray last Monday at RAMS Park, with both teams unbeaten heading into the clash in what has been a solid start to the season.
However, the Black Eagles were the ones who came off worse, losing their streak after a 2-1 defeat in the game, despite having a lion's share of possession.
Two headed goals, one in each half, from Gala's Davinson Sanchez and Victor Osimhen, left Besiktas with a mountain to climb, and they could only pull one back from a magnificent Ernest Muci finish in stoppage time.
The defeat saw Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side drop to fourth with 20 points, having played one fewer game than the table-topping Galatasaray who are eight points ahead.
A quick return to winning ways will be the goal for Besiktas when they take on Kasimpasa this weekend, but the Black Eagles have not performed well in this fixture recently, having lost the last two encounters.
However, having the joint-best defence, the third-best attack, and a perfect home record in the Super Lig this season, will leave Bronckhorst's men with huge confidence heading into Saturday's game.
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Kasimpasa fell apart in the second half of their last league game against Samsunspor, conceding four goals to lose 4-1 despite leading at the break.
Following the defeat, Sami Ugurlu's men dropped to 10th place, remaining with 11 points after playing 10 matches, which has left them just two points ahead of Alanyaspor who are the first team in the relegation zone.
In what has been a season of mixed fortunes for Kasimpasa so far, the Apaches are yet to lose on the road after four away matches, picking up two wins and draws each, and yet to repeat an outcome in successive away games.
However, with a defence that has conceded the joint-third-most goals (16) in the Super Lig so far, Ugurlu's side will need a performance of their lives to stop a wounded and high-scoring Besiktas team.
Team News
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Besiktas will be without Necip Uysal and Gabriel Paulista until late and mid-November respectively, with the former yet to recover from a ligament injury and the latter out with a thigh injury.
Forward Milot Rashica is also ruled out until the middle of November with a muscle injury, which means Rafa Silva, Joao Mario, and Semih Kilicsoy are likely to retain their roles behind striker Ciro Immobile.
Immobile is leading the Super Lig scorers' chart with eight goals and will hope to return to scoring ways on Saturday after drawing a blank last time out.
Kasimpasa have no injury or suspension worries heading into this clash, giving Ugurlu plenty of options to choose from.
Aytac Kara scored the Apaches' only goal in the heavy defeat they suffered last time out, and should keep his spot in the starting line-up, playing behind striker Nuno da Costa.
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Destanoglu; Svensson, Uduokhai, Topcu, Masuaku; Ndour, Fernandes; Silva, Mario, Kilicsoy; Immobile
Kasimpasa possible starting lineup:
Gianniotis; Winck, Opoku, Ozcan, Ouannes; Gul; Fall, Kara, Hajradinovic, Brekalo; Costa
We say: Besiktas 3-1 Kasimpasa
Besiktas suffered a rare defeat to a superior side last time out, and they have the perfect opportunity to bounce back on home soil where they have won all their games so far.
This is why we are predicting a win for the hosts against a Kasimpasa side that has struggled against quality opponents this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
