Football: Derby fever hits Turkey's Super Lig

Besiktas, Galatasaray square off at Vodafone Park in year's last Istanbul derby

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s Super Lig will witness the year's last Istanbul derby on Saturday evening between Besiktas and Galatasaray.

The match in Besiktas' home ground of Vodafone Park will start at 7.30 p.m. local time (GMT1630).

Speaking to reporters during an event at Vodafone Park on Friday, Besiktas chairman Fikret Orman said he hoped for a derby "that will be decided by the players".

When asked to comment about the referee of the match, Firat Aydinus, Orman said: "I don't want to comment on the referee to prevent any kind of manipulation. May God be with him, so that the match can be decided by the players on the field."

Orman also said the 2017/2018 league has been going "in a balanced way" so far.

"There is not a huge gap between the first place team and the eighth place team," said Orman.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara on Friday, Galatasaray chairman Dursun Ozbek said Besiktas and Galatasaray "are two distinguished teams".

"I hope the match will be in a friendly atmosphere and give joy to the fans. It is going to be a great match, because two teams are in-form. Naturally, I wish good luck for Galatasaray," Ozbek said.

League leaders Galatasaray have currently 29 points, six points ahead of Besiktas, who are in fourth place.

Here are the weekend's league matches:

Saturday:

Akhisarspor - Yeni Malatyaspor (GMT1100)

Karabukspor - Goztepe (GMT1330)

Besiktas - Galatasaray (GMT1630)

Sunday:

Konyaspor - Bursaspor (GMT1100)

Genclerbirligi - Sivasspor (GMT1100)

Basaksehir - Osmanlispor (GMT1330)

Fenerbahce - Kasimpasa (GMT1630)

Monday:

Trabzonspor - Antalyaspor (GMT1700)

Alanyaspor - Kayserispor (GMT1700)

Here are the standings as of Saturday GMT 0700:

	Teams	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	+/-	Pts.
1.	GALATASARAY	13	9	2	2	29	14	15	29
2.	BASAKSEHIR	13	8	3	2	24	15	9	27
3.	FENERBAHCE	13	6	5	2	26	17	9	23
4.	BESIKTAS	13	6	5	2	19	12	7	23
5.	KAYSERISPOR	13	6	5	2	20	15	5	23
6.	BURSASPOR	13	6	3	4	24	16	8	21
7.	GOZTEPE	13	6	3	4	24	21	3	21
8.	TRABZONSPOR	13	5	4	4	25	27	-2	19
9.	SIVASSPOR	13	6	1	6	19	21	-2	19
10.	KASIMPASA	13	5	3	5	22	22	0	18
11.	AKHISARSPOR	13	5	3	5	18	21	-3	18
12.	ALANYASPOR	13	5	2	6	25	24	1	17
13.	YENI MALATYASPOR	13	4	3	6	16	20	-4	15
14.	ANTALYASPOR	13	3	4	6	14	22	-8	13
15.	KONYASPOR	13	3	2	8	13	18	-5	11
16.	OSMANLISPOR	13	3	2	8	19	26	-7	11
17.	KARABUKSPOR	13	2	2	9	13	23	-10	8
18.	GENCLERBIRLIGI	13	2	2	9	14	30	-16	8

Kaynak:

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