The 2023/24 Turkish Cup reaches its climax with Besiktas and Trabzonspor battling for the trophy and a coveted European spot. This exciting final will be held on May 23 at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı.
Match Preview
Besiktas and Trabzonspor are both aiming to end their seasons on a high note.
Besiktas, currently fifth in the Turkish Super Lig with 56 points, face a tough challenge against Trabzonspor, who sit in third place with 64 points.
Besiktas come into this final after a disappointing 2-2 home draw against relegation-threatened Hatayspor.
Falling behind early, Besiktas managed to equalize in the 50th minute, only to concede again shortly after. A last-minute goal in the 97th minute salvaged a point.
Besiktas have struggled for consistency, winning only 2 of their last 6 matches across all competitions. Their wins came against Rizespor in the league and Ankaragücü in the Turkish Cup semi-final.
They’ve also drawn with Alanyaspor and Ankaragücü, while their only loss was against Fenerbahce.
Despite these mixed results, Besiktas have remained hard to beat, going undefeated in 8 of their last 9 matches in all competitions.
They have also seen both teams score in 4 of their last 5 games. In the Turkish Cup, they are undefeated in their last 5 matches, winning 4 of them.
Trabzonspor, on the other hand, come into the final after a 1-0 win against Istanbul Basaksehir, secured by a goal just before halftime.
This victory extends their winning streak to three matches in all competitions, including victories over İstanbulspor in the league and Fatih Karagümrük in the Turkish Cup.
Trabzonspor have been in excellent form, winning 6 of their last 7 matches, with over 2.5 goals scored in 6 of those games. They have won their last 6 Turkish Cup matches, showcasing their strong cup performance.
Team News & Updates:
Besiktas will be missing Jackson Muleka, Rachid Ghezzal, and Baktiyor Zaynutdinov due to injuries.
There are also fitness concerns for Ante Rebic and Tayfur Bingöl, while Daniel Amartey might be unavailable for personal reasons.
Trabzonspor have fewer injury worries, with Trezeguet sidelined due to a thigh problem and Hüseyin Türkmen doubtful with a hamstring issue.
Prediction & Analysis:
Expect a thrilling contest with plenty of goals. Both teams have shown attacking prowess and defensive vulnerabilities, making a high-scoring game likely.
Besiktas have been tough to beat recently, while Trabzonspor are on a winning streak.
We predict a draw, with the match potentially going into extra time and penalties to decide the winner.
- Besiktas JK 2-2 Trabzonspor