Fener Beşiktaş to clash in first derby of season

ISTANBUL

A strong Beşiktaş will seek a first away win since 2005 against Fenerbahçe, another title challenger that suffered a bad start to the season, in the first derby game of the year on Sept. 23. 

The home team will miss its Dutch striker Robin Van Persie, along with Nabil Dirar, due to injury but fans felt trust in Vincent Janssen, a last minute signing from Tottenham Hotspurs, who found the net in his first 16 minutes against Alanyaspor last week.

Most of the Beşiktaş players have played together for the past three seasons, Fenerbahçe midfielder Josef de Souza has highlighted.

“And we are a team in making. Still, we are a high-quality team,” he said.

“It is important to score the initial goal. If we do so, we will dominate the game.”

Beşiktaş will be without Brazilian defender Adriano and Gökhan Gönül, a right-back who was a former Fener star, asking Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş a difficult question on how to fill the spot. 

Two other players, left-back Caner Erkin and winger Jeremain Lens might play their first game against their former team Fenerbahce under the Beşiktaş jersey, if Güneş offers them a chance.

However, he has to consider a Champions League group stage game against Germany’s Leipzig on Oct. 3 when deciding on the lineup. Beşiktaş is highly motivated after a group opener win against Porto away. 

Beşiktaş will bid to get rid of bad memories on the Fenerbahçe pitch, where it could not win since 2005, an epic 4-3 win with nine men. 

However, Fenerbahçe has not won at home in the last seven games. 

Also on Sept. 23, Konyaspor will take on Akhisarspor as Gençlerbirliği will host Başakşehirspor.

On Sept. 24, Galatarasaray, which tops the standings with the 13 points, equal with Beşiktaş, will visit Bursaspor, before Sivasspor hosts third-spot Göztepe and Karabük takes on Malatyaspor. The Kasımpaşa-Kayserispor match is also on Sept. 24.

Antalyaspor, whose coach Rıza Çalımbay has recently resigned will clash with Osmanlıspor at the bottom in the closing game of the week on Sept. 25.