Alanyaspor and Bodrumspor will go head-to-head in Round 30 of the Turkish Super Lig, with both sides desperate for a victory that could prove vital in their battle against relegation.
The hosts currently sit 14th in the table with 31 points, holding a slender one-point advantage over Bodrumspor, who occupy the final spot in the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Alanyaspor recently parted ways with manager Sami Ugurlu after 21 matches, a decision driven by a worrying run of three consecutive league defeats that left them dangerously close to the drop zone.
The club swiftly appointed former Sporting CP coach Joao Pereira, who took charge of his first match in last weekend's Antalya provincial derby, kicking off his tenure with a disappointing 2-1 defeat, as Alanyaspor struggled in attack despite opening the scoring.
That loss extended their losing streak to four matches – the longest ongoing run in the Super Lig, and another defeat this weekend could see them drop into the bottom four, adding further pressure to their survival bid.
Despite their recent struggles, Alanyaspor have shown their strength at home. Between late November and early February, they won seven consecutive matches at the Bahcesehir School Arena across all competitions.
However, they have since lost two of the last three fixtures at their ground, winning the other, but with five of their final eight league matches set to be played on home turf, rediscovering their dominant home form will be crucial for Pereira's men.
This encounter marks only the second-ever meeting between these sides, with the first clash coming earlier this season, and it ended in a goalless draw.
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Bodrumspor's impressive eight-match unbeaten run, which began in early February, came to an abrupt end with a 4-2 home defeat against title-chasing Fenerbahce in the Super Lig.
Under the guidance of Portuguese tactician Jose Morais, the club had been enjoying a revival, winning six matches and drawing two across all competitions, a fine form that propelled them to the quarter-finals of the Turkish Cup while also significantly boosting their survival hopes in the league.
However, their momentum was further halted in midweek, as they suffered a dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat to Trabzonspor in the cup quarter-finals, an ill-tempered clash that saw three red cards and a late heartbreak for Bodrumspor, who were agonisingly close to progressing.
Despite these setbacks, the visitors can take encouragement from their spirited performances against two of Turkey's top sides, though failing to pick up points on Sunday could not only dent their survival chances but also finally indicate that the initial honeymoon period under Morais is over.
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Team News
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Alanyaspor will be without Florent Hadergjonaj and Buluthan Bulut, who are both sidelined with injuries.
In addition, club captain Efecan Karaca is suspended for this clash after accumulating too many yellow cards.
Bodrumspor will also be missing key players, with Kerem Ersunar, Ahmet Aslan and Gokhan Akkan all ruled out through injury.
However, there is some positive news for the visitors, with Taylan Antalyali back in contention after injury, while goalkeeper Diogo Sousa has served his suspension and is set to return to the starting XI.
Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:
Taskiran; Aksoy, Lima, Aliti; Ozdemir, Richard, Makouta, Keskin; Vilhena, Janvier; Cordova
Bodrumspor possible starting lineup:
Sousa; Celustka, Ajeti, Aytemur, Sen; Mohammed, Antalyali, Bilsel; Fredy, Bardhi; Brazao
We say: Alanyaspor 1-1 Bodrumspor
This will be Pereira's first home game at the helm of Alanyaspor, and the recent derby defeat should have provided him with valuable insights to refine his tactical approach moving forward.
That being said, Bodrumspor have demonstrated resilience and an attacking threat despite back-to-back defeats, and given their fighting spirit and ability to find the net, we believe they have what it takes to compete with the hosts and, at the very least, secure a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
