Football: Derby fever boiling over in Super Lig

By Ercan Cakar, Ercan Dogan, Erkan Tiryaki, and Cetin Arslancan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Fenerbahce will host Besiktas in a critical Spor Toto Super Lig derby match on Saturday.

Hosts Fenerbahce became title contenders in the league thanks to their excellent form in recent weeks. They have a five-match winning streak.

But the visitors Besiktas are unbowed and unbeaten.

Fenerbahce are in third place with 24 points while Besiktas are in second place with 28 points in the league, which is still led by dark horses Medipol Basaksehir with 30 points.

The match at Ulker Stadium will kick off at 7 p.m. local time (1600GMT), and Huseyin Gocek will officiate the derby in Kadikoy.

Jeremain Lens, a Fenerbahce regular playing as right winger, is likely to miss the derby due to injury. The Dutch international got hurt in a friendly against Belgium on Nov. 9.

Fenerbahce defender Ismail Koybasi, suspended for the derby, will not play against his former club.

Home team Fenerbahce is now the top scorer in the league, as the Yellow Canaries scored 28 goals in 12 matches.

But Besiktas has had no trouble scoring, as the Black Eagles racked up 24 league goals this season.

Fenerbahce forwards Robin van Persie and Moussa Sow will be the goal threats for their team.

Dutch star van Persie has six goals in the Super Lig while Sow has four league goals this season.

- Former Fenerbahce veteran set returning as rival

Besiktas' Turkish right-back Gokhan Gonul is expected to step on Kadikoy as a rival this time. He played for Fenerbahce from 2007 to 2016.

But Caner Erkin, another former Fenerbahce regular now with Besiktas, will miss the derby.

The Turkish left-back sustained a major Achilles tendon injury in a Super Lig match in late October.

- Fenerbahce invincible at home since 2005

Fenerbahce has won all of their last 13 Besiktas derbies at home. Besiktas scored their last derby victory in Fenerbahce's home on April 17, 2005, 4-3.

Fenerbahce won eight derbies out of the 13 in Kadikoy and the rest ended in draws.

- Super Lig fixtures:

Saturday:

Medipol Basaksehir vs Antalyaspor

Fenerbehce vs Besiktas

Dec. 4, Sunday:

Aytemiz Alanyaspor vs Atiker Konyaspor

Osmanlispor vs Kardemir Karabukspor

Gaziantepspor vs Akhisar Belediyespor

Kasimpasa vs Galatasaray

Adanaspor vs Genclerbirligi

Dec. 5, Monday:

Kayserispor vs Trabzonspor

Bursaspor vs Caykur Rizespor