The epic battle for the Super Lig title between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce rumbled on with yet another tension-filled pair of fixtures for the Turkish heavyweights. In the midst of this rivalry, Krzysztof Piatek of Istanbul Basaksehir surged to the forefront of the goalscoring charts, netting a hat-trick against Samsunspor.
Fenerbahce had the chance to reduce Galatasaray’s lead at the summit of the table to just three points when they faced Rizespor on Sunday.
Recent signings Diego Carlos and Milan Skriniar made their debuts for the side as Jose Mourinho opted for a 3-5-2 formation. Another new recruit, Anderson Talisca, started the match on the bench.
However, Fenerbahce’s start was disastrous, as they found themselves two goals down within the first quarter of an hour, and for much of the first half, they struggled to muster any threat. Their performance was flat.
Just before half-time, they were awarded a penalty following a foul on Skriniar in the box, which also resulted in Rizespor being reduced to ten men. Edin Dzeko converted the penalty, injecting some belief into Fenerbahce as they headed into the second half.
Despite having a numerical advantage, Fenerbahce found it challenging to equalise, striking the woodwork a few times against Rizespor’s stubborn defence.
Then, in a dramatic turn of events in the 78th minute, Rachid Ghezzal was controversially sent off for the visitors.
The Algerian received two yellow cards within the span of mere seconds; the first for delaying his exit as he was substituted, followed by a second for an inappropriate remark towards the referee.
While some might debate the harshness of the decision—given the frequent occurrence of such incidents in football—Ghezzal’s actions can only be deemed foolish.
From that moment, the match was waiting for Fenerbahce to seize control against Rizespor’s nine men. Dzeko equalised just a minute later, followed by Youssef En-Nesyri, who netted another header in the 89th minute to secure a 3-2 victory.
The striking partnership is in formidable form, which is crucial if they aim to catch up to Galatasaray.
While the victory was unconvincing and far from inspiring, at this stage of the season, securing three points is vital.
Galatasaray will certainly share this sentiment after their match.
On Monday night, the two-time reigning champions ventured to Gaziantep to face a side managed by former player and club hero Selcuk Inan.
Continuing the trend from recent outings, Galatasaray faced difficulties in maintaining possession and consistently pressing the Gaziantep defence, ultimately giving away the ball too often.
Yet, they managed to scrape together a 1-0 win, thanks to a well-placed strike by new signing Ahmed Kutucu from the edge of the box, marking his first start for the club.
A particularly touching moment, as Ahmed has been a Galatasaray devotee since childhood and completed his dream move from newly-promoted Eyupspor following an impressive start to the season.
Another high-profile signing, Alvaro Morata, made a late appearance to debut, and the Spanish national team captain promises to be a significant asset to the club, likely forming a strong partnership with Victor Osimhen during Mauro Icardi’s absence.
Having played for elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea, and AC Milan, Morata possesses qualities that will enhance Galatasaray’s strength, while his leadership will also be invaluable.
Galatasaray is preparing for a busy final stretch of the Super Lig window as they aim to strengthen their squad in the bid to fend off Fenerbahce and clinch their third consecutive title. Mario Lemina is poised for a return, having previously enjoyed a loan spell at the club roughly five years ago, which has delighted fans.
On Tuesday morning, a lighthearted exchange attracted media attention. Jose Mourinho seemed dissatisfied with a decision that favoured Galatasaray, sharing an image that he believed showed a handball that warranted a penalty, cleverly referencing the ‘Handball World Cup.’
However, he neglected to share the full context of the incident, which involved a deflection from close range while Davinson Sanchez attempted to avoid contact. Instead, Mourinho opted to showcase a single frame to support his narrative.
Not one to back down, Mauro Icardi, who returned to Istanbul to rejoin Galatasaray during his recovery, took the chance to respond. Having relished the chance to antagonise Fenerbahce during his stint in Turkey, he made the most of this opportunity.
On his Instagram, he shared a picture of a book featuring a weeping Jose Mourinho, titled ‘The Crying One,’ followed by a list of questionable decisions that had gone Fenerbahce’s way recently.
This prompted Fenerbahce to post on X: ‘We have Mourinho,’ only for Galatasaray to swiftly counter with an image of Icardi laughing.
It all makes for splendid entertainment.
Krzysztof Piatek: The Goalscoring Machine
The Turkish Super Lig is home to a number of illustrious strikers.
Among the most notable are Victor Osimhen, Edin Dzeko, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Ciro Immobile.
However, one name that may not be on the radar of casual Super Lig fans is Krzysztof Piatek.
The Polish forward is enjoying a sensational season, leading the goalscoring leaderboard with a hat-trick in Istanbul Basaksehir’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Samsunspor, bringing his tally to 18 goals in just 20 appearances—surpassing his total of 17 from last season.
En-Nesyri and Trabzonspor’s Simon Banza sit second with 13 goals, while Osimhen, Dzeko, and Eyupspor’s Mame Thiam follow closely behind with 12 goals each.
Piatek has also netted nine times in 12 UEFA Conference League matches this season, including the qualifying rounds.
A true number nine, Piatek is a predatory striker, fixated on scoring goals. His knack for appearing in the right position at the right time is unmatched in Turkey, and his finishing ability is immensely precise.
Piatek made waves after joining Genoa in 2018, becoming the first player since Andriy Shevchenko in 1999 to score five goals in his first four Serie A appearances. He followed that with eight goals in his first six league outings, the best debut season start since Karl Aage Hansen in 1949/50.
He continued to break records by becoming the first player since Gabriel Batistuta in the 1994/95 season to score in his first seven Serie A matches.
Impressed by this remarkable form, AC Milan signed him in the January transfer window to spearhead their attack.
Piatek’s Milan career took off swiftly, netting in his first four matches and making history as the fastest player to reach six goals for the club. Notably, he converted his first three shots on target.
He concluded the season with 22 goals in 37 appearances, becoming the leading scorer for both Genoa and Milan despite only playing half a season for both teams.
However, he struggled to replicate that success, moving on to Hertha Berlin a year after arriving at Milan and later to Fiorentina and Salernitana, where he faced limited success.
Now, Piatek appears to have reclaimed his golden touch in Turkey, scoring at an astonishing rate and outpacing all other strikers in the league. However, he still has a way to go to top the all-time Super Lig record, held by Galatasaray legend Tanju Colak, who bagged an impressive 39 goals during the 1987/88 season, earning the prestigious European Golden Shoe.
One thing is clear: he currently holds the title of the best goalscorer in the Super Lig.
Highlight of the Week
This past weekend, Kasimpasa secured an exhilarating 8-goal thriller against Adana Demirspor, marking a triumphant debut for their new manager Burak Yilmaz.
The match was a captivating exhibition of football, highlighted by a stunning strike from Frenchman Nabil Alioui, which put Adana Demirspor 2-1 ahead early in the second half.
Team of the Week
Two defenders and a goalkeeper from Alanyaspor also feature in our Team of the Week following their unexpected 1-0 victory over Goztepe, a match in which they faced a whopping 25 shots but kept a clean sheet despite their opponents creating a 2.87 xG. Remarkably, this marked Goztepe’s first home defeat of the season.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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