Two sides whose fates have already been decided come together on the final matchday of the 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig season when Sivasspor host Kayserispor at the Yeni Sivas 4 Eylul Stadyumu.
The home team are eighth and no longer able to qualify for Europe, while the visitors are safe in the division with a four-point lead over 17th-placed Hatayspor.
Match preview
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Sivasspor currently sit in eighth place heading into the final fixture of the Turkish Super Lig campaign, and while European football is out of the question they are set for their highest finish since placing fifth in 2020-21.
Despite being in a strong position to end the season within the top eight, Sivasspor have endured an extremely inconsistent campaign, picking up 12 losses, 12 draws and 13 wins from their 37 outings.
They have not managed to win more than two games on the bounce in the league this year, last doing so in December 2021, and have only picked up consecutive victories on two occasions.
Bulent Uygun's side did manage to end a run of back-to-back losses with a 3-1 win over Istanbulspor, the statistically worst team in the league, and will be looking to end the season on a high with a victory over Kayserispor.
The visitors have shared the spoils in this fixture over the past years, winning two and losing three of the last six meetings, while they have not lost at Sivasspor's home ground since a narrow 2-1 defeat in 2022.
After finishing ninth last campaign, Kayserispor started the term in fantastic form under Recep Ucar, finding themselves in fourth on matchday 15, but a quick downturn in results saw them plummet down the table.
Ucar was dismissed in January with Burak Yilmaz taking charge of the club, and despite going unbeaten in his first five games in charge Kayserispor never fully recovered and found themselves in a battle to stay in the division.
Heading into the final day they have already secured safety, holding a four-point lead over 17th-placed Hatayspor, but with no wins in their last three, they will be looking for victory on the last day.
Team News
The hosts will be without up to three players for the final match of the 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig season.
Hakan Arslan and Burak Kapacak remain sidelined having already missed several matches due to injury.
Ugur Ciftci was forced off in the 69th minute of Sivasspor's 3-1 win last time out and is expected to miss this one.
As for the visitors, they are set to be without up to seven players for this one.
Anthony Uzodimma, Majid Hosseini, Bilal Bayazit and Ali Karimi are all injured.
Miguel Cardoso, Ramazan Civelek and Duckens Nazon are unavailable due to suspension.
Sivasspor possible starting lineup:
Nikolic; Appindangoye, Camara, Poungouras; Okumus, Charisis, Akdag, Erdal; Koita, Manaj, Turg'unboyev
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Piri; Sazdagi, Kolovetsios, Jeanvier, Carole; Shukurov, Yilmaz; Morte, Bourabia, Mane; Bahoken
We say: Sivasspor 2-1 Kayserispor
While Sivasspor's home form has left plenty to be desired this year, taking the 14th-highest points in the division, they have already beaten Kayserispor this season and we expect them to win once again here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
