Besiktas are five points off Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig table entering Sunday's gameweek eight encounter with Konyaspor at Tupras Stadium.
With Gala playing a day earlier, the Black Eagles could be eight points adrift before taking to the pitch against a team observers expect them to beat.
Match preview
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The October international break provided a welcome respite for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Besiktas, who were struggling with a winless streak before the pause in club football.
The Turkish giants were beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League and followed that 3-1 loss with a 1-1 draw at a Gaziantep side in the bottom four spots.
Considering their 4-0 continental defeat at the hands of Ajax on September 26, the Black Eagles' only victory in the previous four was a 3-0 triumph at Kayserispor to close out the past month.
Even though the team's 2024-25 losses have been in Europe, they have stayed undefeated in the Super Lig, clinching five victories from seven fixtures, although both draws have come in the recent four following a three-game winning start.
The hosts won last season's corresponding fixture against Sunday's opponent 2-0 and enter this gameweek keen to notch maximum points and claim a fourth straight league victory on their turf.
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That outcome is likely given that Konyaspor started the campaign with two wins, two draws and three defeats.
However, Ali Camdali's men have shown their adeptness at keeping matches tight, underscored by three clean sheets on the trot to play out goalless games against Kayserispor and Sivasspor while defeating Samsunspor on the road.
Although that run was followed by a 3-2 loss at Trabzonspor, the Anatolian Eagle's timely 2-1 victory against Eyupspor before the international break saw them rise into eighth.
Nevertheless, Sunday presents a different test for Camdali's team, whose last triumph over Besiktas came nearly three years ago in a 1-0 win on home soil.
Since that December 2021 triumph, Konyaspor have been defeated four times in six in all competitions, and observers anticipate a fifth loss this weekend.
Team News
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Besiktas will be without defender Gabriel Paulista (muscle) and winger Milot Rashica (hamstring) due to injuries, with Emirhan Topcu and Ernest Muci likely stepping in.
Long-term absentee Necip Uysal (knee) remains unavailable, as is goalkeeper Ersin Destanoglu, who was unlikely to be part of the XI.
Ciro Immobile has netted two game-clinching goals — a joint high in the league — and the forward aims to add to his seven strikes this weekend.
Meanwhile, Konyaspor boss Camdali has a full squad to choose from, giving him options for the match.
Pedrinho has netted three of the away side's 10 goals this term and has set up one, highlighting the attacker's influence at the eighth-placed club.
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Svensson, Topcu, Udokhai, Masuaku; Fernandes, Musrati; Rafa, Mario, Muci; Immobile
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Slowik; Boranijasevic, Yazgili, Demirbag, Guilherme; Ibrahimoglu, Bazoer; Keyta, Ulgin, Pedrinho; Kramer
We say: Besiktas 2-1 Konyaspor
Despite their winning streak against Konyaspor, Besiktas should not anticipate a straightforward game when they take on an opponent yet to fire blanks in away games. Regardless, the home side's superiority and Immobile's prowess in front of goal could decide Sunday's events in Istanbul.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
