Malatyaspor, Kayseri relegated from top flight

ISTANBUL

Malatyaspor and Kayserispor will be joining Ankaragücü in the First Division next season after they failed to avoid relegation in the final week of the Turkish Süper Lig.

The two clubs were already in the relegation zone ahead of the Week 34 matches and they needed to win their games on July 25 to survive in the top-tier league.

However, Malatyaspor lost 1-0 at home to Gaziantep, while Kayserispor was defeated 2-1 by Trabzonspor in Kayseri.

The two teams and bottom club Ankaragücü, which had already relegated from the Süper Lig, finished the season with 32 points each.

With Başakşehir winning the trophy before last week’s games were played, the race for the European competition spots was tough in Week 34 games.

Beşiktaş finished the league in third place after shutting out Gençlerbirliği 3-0 in Ankara on July 25.

Sivasspor was in the third spot going into the final week but lost 3-1 to Göztepe in İzmir and Beşiktaş jumped to third place with 62 points.

Sivasspor dropped to fourth spot with the defeat and finished with 60 points.

Although the top two teams in the league grab tickets for the prestigious Champions League, with the champion going directly to the group stage and the second-placed team joining in the qualification campaign, Beşiktaş has a chance of playing in European club football’s top event.

Trabzonspor was handed a one-year ban from European competition by the UEFA for failing to meet its financial targets regarding the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. If Trabzonspor fails to win its appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the ban, Beşiktaş will be given its spot in the Champions League.

Alanyaspor surprised fans this season by collecting 57 points to secure fifth place in the table as it beat Konyaspor 3-2 in an away match.

If Trabzonspor’s appeal fails, Alanyaspor will have the chance to play in the second-tier European competition Europa League next season.

The club from the Mediterranean resort can also secure its place in the European competition if it wins the Turkish Cup in July 29’s final against Trabzonspor.

Despite failing to meet expectations this season, Fenerbahçe ended the campaign with a victory at home, beating Rizespor 3-1.

Galatasaray drew 2-2 with Antalyaspor on July 24 as Lions’ fans were disappointed with the team’s poor performances late in the season. Last season’s champion, which won only once in the eight games played after the season restarted in June following a break due to the coronavirus pandemic, finished in sixth place.