Galatasaray Faces Başakşehir in Turkish Cup Opener

Galatasaray will kick off their Turkish Cup campaign with a high-stakes match against Başakşehir at RAMS Park on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The match, scheduled for 8:30 PM local time, will be officiated by referee Ali Şansalan, with Mustafa Savranlar and Osman Gökhan Bilir as assistant referees. Batuhan Kolak will serve as the fourth official.

Galatasaray, currently unbeaten in the league, aims to continue their strong form in the cup. The team has won 10 of their last 12 home matches, drawing the other two. Başakşehir, on the other hand, has struggled in away games, securing only one win in their last eight official matches.

Historically, Galatasaray has dominated recent encounters, winning four of the last five matches against Başakşehir. However, Başakşehir has a strong record in the Turkish Cup, having won both of their previous cup matches against Galatasaray, including a 3-2 victory in the 2022-2023 season quarterfinals.

Key players to watch include Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, who has scored 13 goals in 16 matches this season, and Yunus Akgün, who has been in excellent form with 5 goals in 6 UEFA Europa League matches. Başakşehir will rely on their attacking duo of Davidson and Pelkas to challenge Galatasaray’s defense.

According to betting odds, Galatasaray is the favorite to win, with odds of 1.26 for a victory, 4.84 for a draw, and 6.31 for a Başakşehir win. Misli users also favor Galatasaray, with 32% predicting a win for the home team.

This match marks the seventh encounter between Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk and Başakşehir’s Çağdaş Atan. Buruk’s teams have won three of their previous six meetings, while Atan’s teams have secured two victories, with one match ending in a draw.

Galatasaray will be without Mauro Icardi, who is sidelined due to injury. The probable starting lineup for Galatasaray includes Günay, Davinson, Abdülkerim, Jakobs, Sara, Torreira, Sallai, Barış, Yunus, and Batshuayi. Başakşehir is expected to field Volkan, Duarte, Hamza, Opoku, Lima, Berat, Keny, Ömer Faruk, Pelkas, Figueiredo, and Davidson.

The two teams will meet again in the league on January 12, adding extra significance to this cup clash. Both sides will be eager to gain momentum ahead of their next encounter.