ISTANBUL, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Fenerbahce will launch their Turkish league campaign on Friday as favourites to retain the title with a team that is taking on a growing Brazilian flavour after the signing of Roberto Carlos.
Galatasaray have also turned to a Brazilian for inspiration among their summer signings in the form of playmaker Lincoln and are looking to the experience of veteran German coach Karl-Heinz Feldkamp to unseat their arch Istanbul rivals.
Fenerbahce earned a morale-boosting win on Sunday when they beat the other major title contenders Besiktas 2-1 in the Turkish Super Cup, which pitches the league champions against the cup winners.
"Winning a cup like this during our preparations at the start of the season increases our expectations and hopes about what we will achieve," said Fenerbahce's Brazilian coach Zico.
Fenerbahce will kick off the season on Friday when they play newly promoted Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyespor, the Istanbul municipality club, at the city's Olympic Stadium.
Of the other two realistic title contenders, Besiktas play at home against Konyaspor on Saturday and Galatasaray will host Rizespor on Sunday.
Fenerbahce won the league for the 17th time in May and were runaway leaders with 70 points ahead of Besiktas on 61 and Galatasaray on 56.
Former Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos will join his compatriots, including newly appointed captain Alex de Souza, forward Deivid de Souza and defender Edu Dracena, at Fenerbahce.
The squad also includes Wederson and Mehmet Aurelio, who have dual Brazilian and Turkish citizenship.
Forward Colin Kazim-Richards has also joined the club from Sheffield United.
EUROPEAN HOPES
Under new coach Ertugrul Saglam, Besiktas snapped up two Fenerbahce players over the summer -- experienced international goalkeeper Rustu Recber and midfielder Mehmet Yozgatli.
The club have also added to their midfield with Chilean international Rodrigo Tello from Portugal's Sporting and French player Edouard Cisse from Paris St Germain.
They will be looking to set their season off on the right foot on Wednesday when they play Moldova's Sheriff in the return leg of the Champions League second qualifying round.
Aside from Galatasaray's UEFA Cup triumph in 2000, Turkish clubs have failed to achieve major success in Europe, with Fenerbahce in particular having underperformed, a record they are determined to improve on this season.
Under Feldkamp, who previously coached the club in the 1992-93 season, Galatasaray has strengthened its midfield with the signing from FC Copenhagen of Swedish international Tobias Linderoth, who will link up with Brazilian Lincoln from Schalke.
The club has also turned to Germany to sign young Turkish-German duo Baris Ozbek and Serkan Calik from Rot-Weiss Essen, to inject some youth to a squad which still features veteran striker Hakan Sukur and midfielder Hasan Sas.
By Daren Butler
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