Avcı aims for first big win with Trabzonspor

ISTANBUL

Former Turkish national team coach Abdullah Avcı wants to prove his credentials when his Trabzonspor hosts Galatasaray on Dec. 26 in a Turkish Süper Lig game.

Avcı took the reins in Trabzonspor in early November and the team has been unbeaten since, winning four games and drawing two. But he has yet to play against a title contender, and Dec. 26’s game will give a clue whether the Black Sea side will be in this season’s trophy fight or not.

“Six games, four wins. A Trabzonspor raising its head,” Avcı said following Dec. 22’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Hatayspor.

“Do we have deficiencies? Yes, we have plenty. Both in terms of the game and the players. While we are working on them, we also want to get the results with the current material we have.”

After spending more than 10 years with Başakşehir, building the club as a top contender from scratch, Avcı had a short spell with Beşiktaş in his first attempt at a major club, being sacked last January after just six months.

His team at Trabzonspor will determine whether he can claim his place among top Turkish coaches.

On the other hand, Galatasaray will be on the pitch without coach Fatih Terim, who will watch his side from the stands serving a five-match suspension he received after being sent off in a league game against Karagümrük.

The club lashed out at the five-game ban, claiming that the decision was the result of “dirty games targeting our glorious club.”

On Dec. 27 in the Süper Lig, leader Alanyaspor travels to Gaziantep, which has not lost since its season opener at Galatasaray.

The southeastern club has won five of its last six games in the league and wants to add to Alanyaspor’s dismal run, handing the visitors their fourth loss in five games.

Beşiktaş, which has climbed in league standings after winning seven of its last nine games, hosts Sivasspor at home on Dec. 28.

Elsewhere in league competition, Göztepe hosts Karagümrük, Malatyaspor plays Erzurumspor at home, Ankaragücü visits Denizlispor, Başakşehir entertains Karagümrük, Gençlerbirliği takes on Kayserispor at home, Rizespor visits Konyaspor and Hatayspor travels to Antalyaspor.

The Süper Lig games are taking place behind closed doors and under strict measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

With 21 teams in the league, after the lifting of relegation last season, Fenerbahçe, which ended a two-game losing streak by thrashing defending champion Başakşehir 4-1 on Dec. 23, is the team to have a bye week.