Under-pressure Beşiktaş hosts Kayseri

ISTANBUL

Turkish Super League leader Beşiktaş will take on Kayserispor on April 30 at its new home with the hopes of avoiding any more slip-ups in the title run-in.

The Istanbul side is feeling the heat from rival Fenerbahçe after last week’s draw with Aknisar Belediyespor, which it only achieved thanks to a last-minute goal by Cenk Tosun on April 23.

Fenerbahçe, which beat Trabzonspor 4-0 the next day in an away game marked by violence against a referee in the last minute, is now only three points behind the leader and would claim the title thanks to a better goal difference in their head-to-head meetings in the event the two sides finished level.

Internal unrest marked the week for Beşiktaş, with media reports suggesting that Tolgay Arslan quarreled with winger Olcay Şahan, as Veli Kavlak, another midfielder recovering from injury, fought Tosun during training on two consecutive days. 

Media reports said coach Şenol Güneş harshly slammed all the players, warning that those who cause problems “will not be together with us anymore.” 

Beşiktaş will visit city rival Galatasaray, which long ago gave up the ghost in the title race, next week. 

Kayserispor is in a relatively comfortable position in league with no hope of a spot in next year’s European cups and seven points clear of relegation. But the Central Anatolian side has beaten Beşiktaş in half of the last 16 encounters.

“Beşiktaş’s title hopes is none of my business,” Kayseri striker Sinan Bakış told Anadolu Agency, adding that the team wanted to remain far from the bottom of the standings. 

Fenerbahçe will host Gaziantepspor on May 1 as it seeks to maintain the pressure on Beşiktaş.

Robin van Persie, Diego Ribas and Mehmet Topal, who had injuries, joined the team during training on April 28. 

On April 30, Gençlerbirliği will take on Medipol Başakşehir and Eskişehirspor will host Trabzonspor. 

Akhisar will visit Medicana Sivasspor on May 1 as Antalya hosts high-flying Torku Konyaspor, who seem assured of at least third spot in the league.

The closing game of the week will see Kasımpaşaspor face Ankara’s Osmanlıspor in Istanbul on May 2.