Galatasaray takes on Sivas to heal wounds
ISTANBUL
The Turkish Süper Lig’s second-place Sivasspor will visit defending champion Galatasaray in the opening game of the match week eight on Oct. 18.
Sivasspor, the dark horse of the season along with the Mediterranean resort town’s Alanyaspor, the leader with 14 points in the first seven games, is high in morale after beating Ankaragücü at home before a halt to the league due to national team campaigns last week.
“Sivasspor has never won points Galatasaray away so far,” said Sivas midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş on Oct. 16.
“This season things are going well, and we want to achieve this first,” he told Anadolu Agency.
Galatasaray, for its side, is struggling to find a way out of the 10th spot after being held by a goalless draw with Gençlerbirliği, another Ankara team, away on Oct. 5.
A frustrated Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim criticized his team after the game, signaling a major shift.
“I wish we had lost today, but after playing like Galatasaray should have played. This is what makes me upset,” he said.
He slammed his players for poor concentration.
“It was as if they wanted the game to end as soon as possible,” he said.
Asked about any changes in the team, “You will see soon,” he responded.
On Oct. 19, third-spot Trabzonspor will take on Gaziantep at home, Başakşehir will host Göztepe, and Beşiktaş, one of the big-three of Istanbul which is having internal trouble after the resignation of chairman Firket Orman, will visit Ankaragücü.
Alanyaspor will host Rizespor on Oct. 20, before Fenerbahçe, another title contender, visits Denizlispor. Kayserispor will play against Kasımpaşa the same day.
In the closing game of the week, Konyaspor will clash with Malatyaspor at home.
