One of the hottest derbies in world football is coming up today. With a win against Fenerbahce, Galatasaray would go a huge step towards the Turkish championship.
José Mourinho has already become champion in four different countries. First he managed to do this with FC Porto in his home country Portugal, then with Chelsea in England, then with Inter Milan in Italy, most recently with Real Madrid in Spain.
The title win with the “royal” achieved in 2012, so it was a long time ago for such a success -spoiled football teacher as José Mourinho that he won a championship.
His current club is just as proud and spoiled for success as his trainer, even if he has never managed to win a European Cup. Fenerbahce has already become 19 times a championship in the Süper Lig, which has been around since 1959, and in the glorious and scandal-prone history of the club, there was also a lot of reason for cover celebrations.
Last championship of Fenerbahce 2014
However, a championship was last cheered in 2014, according to the standards of the club, this was an eternity. In the past three years, Fenerbahce became second, both in 2023 and 2024 behind Galatasaray.
This hurts a little more to those responsible for the club, who has his homeland on the Asian side of Istanbul than to land behind Trabzonspor, as was the case in 2022.
Six points lead for Galatasaray
Galatasaray, the large rival from the European side of Istanbul, is again ahead in the current season. The lead after 23 games of the two teams in a league with 19 teams is six points.
The league leader with coach Okan Buruk has not yet lost a game and won 20 times. Therefore, much indicates that Fenerbahce has its last chance today to keep the title race exciting.
Referee from Slovenia
At 8 p.m. local time (6 p.m. German time) the Kitalararasi derbi will kick off, the intercontinental derby that in Turkey is the ultimate as in Scotland the old firm and in Argentina of the Superclásico.
The explosiveness is also evident from the fact that no Turkish referee will whistle the game, but the Slovenian Slavko Vincic. The association reacted to the sometimes violent allegations of guilt, which had come from responsible fenerbahces in particular in recent years.
Well -known players on the square
The first leg won Galatasaray 3-1. Among other things, Dries met Mertens after preparatory work by Victor Osimhen for Galatasaray and Edin Dzeko for Fenerbahce. There are also some players on the pitch who have already won some titles.
The Galatasaray squad can be found here from Fenerbahce here.