Gaziantep FK vs Galatasaray Prediction

Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray will look to regain their six point gap to chasers Fenerbahce on Monday evening when they travel to 12th placed Gaziantepe, a team who up until recently had been in a rich vein of form.

20 games into the league season, Galatasaray remain the only unbeaten side in the top flight, winning 17 of those games and finding fine margins of victory more effectively than second placed Fenerbahce, despite the chasers boasting better goal difference and an equally solid defensive record.

Gaziantep, prior to their loss to Samsunspor last week, had been on a run of six games without defeat, including two in the Turkish Cup, which have been enough to carry them into group stage proper of Turkey’s premier cup competition.

As a fascinating game approaches, here is everything you need to know about both sides ahead of kick-off.

Key Statistics

• Gaziantep have recorded three clean sheets in their last five fixtures, better than Galatasaray’s recent record.
• However, their top scorer in the league is a two way tie between David Okereke and Deian Sorescu, who both sit on an alarmingly low total of five.
• Galatasaray, like their opponents, have scored eight times in their last five games, despite boasting Victor Osimhen and Dries Mertens in attack.
• Galatasaray have not lost a Super Lig match since May 2024, in a defeat to Fenerbahce on the penultimate day of the season.

Gaziantep FK Preview

Gaziantep FK Predicted Lineup (3-5-2): Mustafa Bozan (GK); Bruno Viana, Arda Kizildag, Cyril Mandouki; Mustafa Eskihellac, Quentin Daubin, Badou Ndiaye, Kacper Kozlowski, Deian Sorescu; David Okereke, Kenan Kodro.

Having lost just three times since the 23rd of November, Gaziantep have been resurgent following a slow start at the beginning of the season, where they won just one of their opening eight fixtures.

Having flipped that record on its head, Selcuk Inan’s side will now be looking further up the table. They lie just two points below eighth placed Kasimpasa, and while fourth placed Eyupspor may be out of reach for now, they will certainly have their eyes set on a first top half finish since 2021.

While finding a reliable goal scorer has been something of a struggle this season, many unexpected sources are chipping in with valuable goals, and if one of their lesser threats can get on the scoreboard against Galatasaray, Gaziantep could well pick up their best result of the campaign.

Galatasaray Preview

Galatasaray Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Fernando Muslera (GK); Ismail Jakobs, Abdulkerim Bardakci, Davinson Sanchez, Roland Sallai; Kaan Ayhan, Lucas Torreira; Baris Alper Yilmaz, Dries Mertens, Yunus Akgun; Victor Osimhen.

Looking odds on to go invincible this season, Galatasaray have been a potent force in Europe as well as Turkey.

Qualifying for the knockout play-off round in the Europa League, and comfortably ahead of their Turkish rivals in domestic competition, Okan Buruk’s star-studded squad has met, and perhaps even surpassed expectations this season.

Of course if you boast a squad with names like Osimhen and Mertens, then fans will always be expectant of success. However, it is a different challenge entirely to deliver that expectation, and right now, the two-time reigning champions of Turkey are suffocating every other side in the league. They should breeze past Gaziantep here.

Gaziantep FK vs Galatasaray Head to Head

Recent meetings:

• 17/09/2024: Galatasaray 3-1 Gaziantep.
• 29/01/2024: Galatasaray 2-1 Gaziantep.
• 02/09/2023: Gaziantep 0-3 Galatasaray.
• 05/03/2023: Gaziantep 0-3 Galatasaray.
• 05/09/2022: Galatasaray 2-1 Gaziantep.

Gaziantep FK vs Galatasaray Betting Tip

While Gaziantep’s recent good form has been impressive, Galatasaray’s sustained excellence throughout the season has been a different matter altogether.

While the underdogs do have home advantage, they are underdogs for a reason, we can’t see any evidence that they will cause a shock on Monday. We are backing Galatasaray to pick up a straight forward victory.

Gaziantep FK vs Galatasaray Final Prediction

Gaziantep 1-3 Galatasaray

With just Mauro Icardi missing from their squad, Galatasaray will have a very nearly full complement of players to pick from, and with the quality in the ranks, shouldn’t have any problems getting the job done.