Trabzonspor vs Juventus

It might be very difficult  for Trabzonspor as they seek to overturn a first-leg deficit and knock Juventus out of the UEFA Europa League.

Trabzonspor, still acclimating to life under Hami Mandirali, (a man who does not have a pro licence to coach)  will begin the second leg of their round-of-32 tie with being down two goals !

Trabzonspor have not beaten a Serie A side at home since 1982, and will have to better the 1-0 scoreline recorded on that occasion in a 1-0 UEFA Cup first-round victory over Inter.

However, Turkey does not exactly hold pleasant recent memories for Juventus, as it was a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray that dumped the Italian club into the Europa League during the final round of UEFA Champions League group matches in December.

Additionally, Trabzonspor have an impressive continental record at the Huseyin Avni Aker Stadium to lift their spirits.

They are unbeaten in seven matches on home turf in Europe and had not lost in 12 UEFA games this term until they ran into Antonio Conte’s men - who are without a victory in their last four European away trips, losing three.

Nevertheless, Juventus remain firm favourites and have the considerable carrot of this season's Europa League final being staged at the Juventus Stadium

While Juventus hold a healthy advantage in their domestic league, having dropped only nine points all season, Trabzonspor have not been able to enjoy similar success.

Trabzonspor seventh in the Turkish Super Lig, 15 points behind leaders Fenerbahce, and face a battle to secure European football for next season.

See you in London : Galatasaray 1- Chelsea 1

It was two different  match ..

In the first half , Chelsea was better .

Second half was all Galatasaray ....

Chelsea found the goal in the early minutes of the match in the first half by huge mistake by midfield and defense !

Quickly after the goal, Galatasaray coach Mancini, realized that he made mistake and put Yekta in to the match ...

In the second half bringing in Semih Kaya to defense gave Galatasaray momentum .

Wesley Sneijder's hard work paid off and from his korner kick Galatasaray scored .

So last dance will be in London in two weeks !

After the match, Drogba said "we are going to London to surprise Chelsea "

It won't be easy but it will be a match to watch ...

*********************

Match report.....  

*Torres scored the first goal for Chelsea  in the knockout phase in the ninth minute after Cezar Azpilicueta cut the ball back to the striker.

*Aurelien Chedjou put the ball past goalkeeper Petr Cech in the 64th after connecting with Wesley Sneijder's corner.

**********************

The second leg of the round of 16 game is at Stamford Bridge on March 18.

Galatasaray's Sneijder : "We are ready for Chelsea!"

Galatasaray to host  Chelsea at Turk Telekom Arena on Wednesday....

 The match between two teams will kick off at 21:45 local time in Turkey. 

The two teams will play for the third time with each other. The previous matches were in UEFA Champions League 

1999-2000 season, where both matches resulted in an English victory.

Today at the press conference Wesley Sneijder said they are ready for Chelsea !

"Mourinho knows us well and that is an advantage but the same applies for us, we know Mourinho very well, perhaps better than the Chelsea players know us.

"Chelsea is a great side, everybody has to accept that, but if we show the same spirit we did against Juventus, we could achieve another big result."

Galatasaray's coach Mancini also answered  the questions  at the press conference today....

He said, he expects Drogba and Sneijder to give their full energy in this match against Chelsea...

"Didier was an important man and an important player for Chelsea,

Wesley won the Champions League under Mourinho. I think they have a good relationship but tomorrow for 90 minutes I think they will be enemies.

"After that they can go and have dinner together. But for 90 minutes I think they will play not 100 per cent, but more because we need Wesley and Didier to play very well tomorrow."

On the other hand Chelsea coach Mourinho  was angry about the question .....

Insated of asking him questions about  the Galatasaray match , English media asked him about his leaked comment to media !

He called it, disgrace of reporting ....

After that, he went on to talk about the match....

Mourinho said, Galatasaray still good team under Mancini and they have experienced players like Drogba and Sneijder.

He said, they have a chance to win the Champions League Trophy , if they can get past Galatasaray.

12th man will be huge advantage for Galatasaray  in Turk Telecom Arena on Wednesday !

If Drogba and Sneijder plays good, Galatasaray could upset Chelsea in Istanbul.

But, Galatasaray has to play like a team and not let down in 90 minutes ..

TSL Wrap : Galatasaray captures second place ,Fenerbahce stall

Galatasaray beat Besiktas 1-0 to move above Besiktas into second in the Turkish Super League

Selcuk Inan's 38th-minute penalty proved the difference between the two sides and means Roberto Mancini's men now occupy the all-important second UEFA Champions League qualifying berth.

In extending their unbeaten league run to 11 matches, Galatasaray climbed two points above Besiktas, but remain four points behind Fenerbahce, who needed a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw at Elazigspor.

Elazig went in front very last minutes of the half-time through Onur Ayik and Fenerbahce looked set for a third defeat in four when Cristian Baroni was sent off just before the hour mark.

Fenerbahce was the better side in the first half, they could not cash in at least four chances by Baroni, Emenike and Alper !

That was the huge difference...

Another problem for Fener was they were missing a leader in their midfield !

Yes, referee Gokcek, made a very bad call but, they should have scored at least three goals until the red card.

However, Mehmet Topal struck seven minutes from time to rescue a valuable point for the leaders.

Fourth-placed Sivasspor suffered a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Kasimpasa, who moved up to sixth, three points behind their opponents.

First-half goals from Ezequiel Scarione, Sanharib Malki and Ryan Babel put Kasimpasa in control and Tabare Viudez made it four just after the break.

Sivas replied through Hakan Arslan and Aatif Chahechouhe, either side of Tunay Torun's strike, before Andre Castro's goal and the dismissal of Manuel da Costa capped a miserable day for Sivasspor.

At the bottom of the table, Kayseri Erciyesspor claimed a second successive win with a 2-1 home victory over Karabukspor.

Goals from Murat Yildirim and Yasin Oztekin put the home side in control and the hosts held on to move within four points of safety despite Murat Akca scoring to set up a nervy final 15 minutes.

They had to come from behind, Mijailovic giving the visitors the lead before second-half goals from Adrian Mierzejewski and Marc Janko turned things around.

Bursaspor won 2-0 against struggling Rizespor, while Gaziantepspor and Akhisar Belediyespor drew 1-1.

Elsewhere, two Bogdan Stancu goals saw Genclerbirligi come from two down to earn a point in a 2-2 draw with Konyaspor, while the game between Antalyaspor and Eskisehirspor finished goalless.

Euro 2016 : Turkey in difficult group !

Turkey is yet again set to face the Netherlands, this time in qualifying for Euro 2016. 

Fatih Terim's boys will therefore have the tough task of getting payback against the team that crushed its slim World Cup chances with victory in Istanbul last year.

Drawn into a difficult-looking Group A, Turkey will also be up against a resurgent Czech Republic, a rising Iceland, and dangerous minnows Latvia and Kazakhstan.



There they will take on the might of Germany, who will be bidding to qualify for a 12th consecutive European Championship finals.

The British Overseas Territory were also drawn with Scotland, as well as the Republic of Ireland and Poland in what looks set to be an unforgiving section, but elsewhere Europe's leading powers were largely spared.

England's toughest game in Group E should come against Switzerland, while two-time defending European champions Spain will get their toughest matches against Ukraine and Slovakia in Group C.

However, the draw in Nice was a little less Italy, who will tackle Croatia in Group H.

Euro 2016, which will be held in France, will see 24 nations advance to the finals for the first time in the history of the European Championship.

Only eight nations participated in the finals when France last hosted the competition in 1984, before the number of finalists was increased to 16 in 1996.

The decision to increase the number of finalists has been criticised by many who believe the quality of football on offer come the tournament itself will be diluted as a result.      

However, the format means it seems almost certain that all Europe's leading nations will be there along with the French, who qualify automatically as hosts.

The top two teams in each of the nine groups will advance to the finals along with the best third-placed side, while the remaining third-placed nations will play off for four more berths.

There are eight groups of six teams as well as one - Group I - that contains five nations. However, France are also allocated to that group and will play friendly matches against those teams, for which no points will be awarded.

The first qualifiers will be played on September 7 and the campaign will see matches spread over six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, during every international break in a format that UEFA  have championed as the 'Week of Football'. The finals themselves will run from June 10 to July 10, 2016.

Following is the 2016 qualifying draw made in Nice:      

Group A: Netherlands, Czech ,Republic, Turkey, Latvia, Iceland, Kazakhstan           

Group B: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, Israel, Wales, Cyprus, Andorra          

Group C: Spain, Ukraine, Slovakia, Belarus, Macedonia, Luxembourg,            

Group D: Germany, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Georgia, Gibraltar          

Group E: England, Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, San Marino          

Group F: Greece, Hungary, Romania, Finland, Northern Ireland, Faroe Islands,          

Group G: Russia, Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, Moldova, Liechtenstein,          

Group H: Italy, Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Malta,          

Group I: Portugal, Denmark, Serbia, Armenia, Albania (Hosts France, already qualified, will complete the group but their results will not count)

Source :Wires 

Galatasaray wins the sloppy derby match !

People who were tuned in to watch this years first derby match in Turkey , 

Saw a sloppy soccer match between Galatasaray and Besiktas  !

Galatasaray won the match with penalty kick goal by Selcuk Inan ....

Thanks to new transfer from Galatasaray , Dany !

Besiktas started the match on a high note found some chances by Almeida and Olcay 

but could not cash in ....

Pretty much , first thirty minutes was  all Besiktas ...

But, in the last fifteen minutes of the half better side was ,Galatasaray !

In the 38 minute , Besiktas defender Dany slided into Veysel Saris's legs in the box 

Dany recieved yellow card and Galatasaray earned penalty kick....

Selcuk Inan  took the kick and scored the only goal in the match !

While Penalty kick was taking , some wiseguy , holded a laser light

 to Besiktas's kepper Tolga Zengin's eye .....

Fans like this guy, should be banned from attending any soccer match in Turkey !

It is disgrace....

And what is so funny, they showed him on TV during the match holding the laser !

Where is the stadium security or Turkish police ?

***********************

At the half,  Tolga decided  not to play and left his place to second keeper Cenk Gonen!

Second half of this match, was one of the most boring halfs  I ever watched ! 

A lot of fake injuries and delay of game and too many calls by referee .....

The only real good chance was again with Almeida for Besiktas !

In the very beginning of the second half , Almeida BLEW IT .....

Instead of going over the Galatasaray keeper Muslera with a shot

He tried  to shoot through Muslera's leg....

Which he did !

But, ball did not go into the net ...

This was huge opportunity for Besiktas !

Young Besiktas's keeper Cenk Gonen's injury happened during trying to save the goal 

It was awful to see him fall to ground like that !

He actually fainted on the pitch and got up and played  last 15 minutes of the match !

If I was team doctor I would not let him play like that ...

After the match , Cenk said he does not remember what happen to him on the pitch at all !

Very risky move by Besiktas doctor during the match, allowed him to play like that....

Young Besiktas keeper Cenk Gonen spent the night in hospital after the match .

Tolga and Cenk being injured , Besiktas might not have a keeper for next match !

With this win, Galatasaray gained huge morale before Chelsea match on wednesday

And captured the second place from Besiktas in the 22th week !

Galatasaray now has 44 points while Besiktas stayed at  42 points...

First place team Fenerbahce has 47 points and they will play on Monday ,

A match in Elazig will be very interesting for Fenerbahce.....

Lastly, my kudos and fairplay award goes to Galatasaray's Semih Kaya.....

He reversed referees decision by telling the truth

He told referee Cuneyt Cakir, that, ball went out by him instead of  Besiktas player "

After that, Cuneyt Cakir reversed his call and gave a corner kick to Besiktas !''

Kudos to Semih Kaya for being honest ......

We need more players like  Semih Kaya in the Turkish Super League !

My fair play award  goes to Semih Kaya,,,,,,, 

Super Derby Day in Turkey : Galatasaray vs Besiktas !

It's very huge weekend for Galatasaray and Besiktas .....Last years defending Champions Galatasaray will host Besiktas who is one step ahead of them on Saturday night in their noisey home at Turk Telekom Arena !

It is very huge next few days for Galatasaray ....

After Besiktas match they will host Chelsea team, in their nest , next week.

While Besiktas focuses only to the league Galatasaray has to think and prepare for Champions League and Turkish Cup too along with  chasing the league's top team Fenerbahce !

That's is why this match is very important .....

It is important for Mancini's Galatasaray and Bilic's Besiktas !

A win for Besiktas will be huge on Saturday ...

That would put them 2 points behind Fenerbahce and Fenerbahce will feel the heat on Monday night in Elazig when they face Elazigspor .

But, it will not be easy !

Besiktas is much young and inexperienced  team....

On the other hand, Galatasaray have Drogba, Sneijder, Muslera and Selcuk Inan .

If, Drogba shows that he is clutch player, Galatasaray could win this match before the big one !

Besiktas's Oguzhan Ozyakup did not practiced with the team until Friday .

It is not for sure he will play on Saturday.....

Almeida and Fernandes and keeper Tolga Zengin will be Besiktas's clutch player if they want to win this match.

Besikta's American soccer player Jermaine Jones did practice with the team and he looked good in the practice sessions, this week.

We might just see, Jermaine Jones  on the pitch ,tomorrow ....

Here is the last thing.....

In the first half, before Galatasaray match Besiktas was 4-0 !

Besiktas lost the match 2-1 in the very seconds of the match  when Besiktas fans invaded the pitch while stoppage time was playing....

The Turkish Football Federation  punished Besiktas four matches without the spectator ban  
and match  stand as forfeit 3-0 in favor of Galatasaray !

After that , Besiktas was in slum for long time !

Now ,at the week 22, the story is little different ....

Besiktas is one step above Galatasaray, but ,this match could change that !

So, I just hope we will not see that kind of absurd behavior again on Saturday ...

The pressure will be on both teams ....

I just hope, we see a good derby match on Saturday.

AHMET TURGUT
@turkishsoccer

Trabzonspor loses 2-0 against Juventus

Trabzonspor’s 14 matches unbeaten in European competitions has ended in Turin, after the Black sea side lost 2-0 against Juventus in the first leg of the Europa League last-32 round, despite a goal being controversially annulled by the referee.

Dani Osvaldo, who joined the Old Lady during the winter break, opened the scoring in the 15th minute, before Paul Pogba bagged a precious second goal in injury time.

Trabzonspor ,however, was upset by a referee decision to cancel a goal in the 71st minute. In what could have been a turning point, Olcan Adın put the ball into the net after a cross from Yusuf Erdoğan. The referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line before Erdoğan’s cross, but TV replays showed that the ball might not have completely crossed the line.

Caretaker coach Hami Mandıralı,  who recently took over from Mustafa Resit Akcay, praised his side’s attitude during the entire game.
 
“We had opportunities to score and we missed, but they scored. We had counter-attacks, particularly in the second half, following the changes, but we were unable to score,” Mandıralı said. 

He also criticized the canceling of Trabzonspor’s goal. “As far as I saw on the TV, the ball did not entirely cross the line. UEFA should review its six-referee system. We have been damaged by a wrong decision,” he said.

Preview: Juventus v Trabzonspor

Juventus and Trabzonspor have never met in competitive action, but go head to head in the first leg of the last 32 with Juve looking to avenge their recent disappointment at the hands of another Turkish team.

Antonio Conte's men were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the group stages as Super Lig champions Galatasaray progressed instead after a 1-0 winner-takes-all victory against Juve in the final Group B game.

Gala held Juve to a 2-2 draw in Turin earlier in a group stage campaign that saw Conte's side earn just one victory, which came against minnows Copenhagen.

Juve's exit from the Champions League came as a surprise, however the Serie A leaders will now be focused on extending their pedigree in the second-tier competition.

The defending Italian champions have won the tournament on three occasions, although all of those triumphs came when the Europa League was known as the UEFA Cup.

They are, though, sure to face a stern test on Thursday against a side that has yet to lose in the Europa League this season.

Trabzonspor should be accustomed to facing Serie A opposition after twice drawing with Lazio on the way to topping Group J.

However, their domestic campaign has been less fruitful and they head into the clash without a permanent manager after Mustafa Resit Akcay's resignation earlier this month.

A 4-2 defeat to Akhisar  prompted Akcay's decision to step down, with assistant Hami Mandirali taking temporary charge of a side who are ninth and without a Super Lig win in four games.

Forward Emre Gural scored a double on his return to the starting line up in the 2-2 draw at Karabukspor on Saturday, staking his claim for another start.

Juventus are set to be without defender Giorgio Chiellini due to a thigh injury, while striker Mirko Vucinic is unavailable with a knee problem.

Defender Andrea Barzagli is on the mend after a tendon problem, with Conte set to make a late decision on his fitness.

Trabzonspor unbeaten European run will be tested by Juventus tonight. 

Besiktas back in title chase after they beat Kasimpasa in rematch

Besiktas defeated Kasimpasa 3-0 on Tuesday in a rematch of a Turkish  Super League’s 15th week match.

Winning against Kasimpasa put Besiktas in the title chase.....

With 39 points, Besiktas one point Behind Galatasaray and 5 points behind first place team Fenerbahce.

Besiktas finished the job early thanks to goals scored by  Hugo Almeida, 22-year-old Colombian center-back Pedro Franco and Veli Kavlak.

In the previous match, Kasimpasa's  Ryan Donk intercepted the ball off the pitch in the 30th minute, illegally nullifying a Besiktas attack.

The match ended 2-1 in favor of Kasimpasa.

Besiktas' board later appealed to the Turkish Football Federation for a rematch. The Turkish Football Federation decided ordered the match replayed as a result of the violation.

What coaches said.......

Bilic (Besiktas ) : “Winning is a wonderful feeling,” Besiktas's Croatian coach Slaven Bilic said after the match. “We have accomplished a great feat by beating Kasımpaşa and earning three points. Congratulations to our players. They did everything necessary in modern football, put up a good fight and earned three deserved points”

Shota Arveladze (Kasimpasa ) : “It is very difficult to speak after losing 3-0. We conceded a goal from a penalty-box scramble and thereafter things became more difficult. We tried to turn the tide in our favor after the break, but it was not to be"

After 20th weekend going in to 21th weekend, the tittle race will be three ways...

After Fenerbahce losing back to back three away matches, Galatasaray and Besiktas winning their matches, Ersun Yanal's  Fenerbahce let Galatasaray and Besiktas closed the gap on top......

14 weeks to go, the race on top and at the bottom will get hotter,in the Turkish Super League....

For most of the teams, it will be clutch time in the league....

Turkish Super League Wrap :Gap drops to 4 points on top !

Week 20, in the Turkish Super Lig, was a clutch week for some teams in the league !

Teams, who were chasing the top team Fenerbahce,  in the league....

Besiktas  won their match  on Friday in Gaziantep with 2-1 score with a little luck this time..

Besiktas still having problem in the last twenty minutes !

While Besiktas and Galatasaray won in the 20th week, first place Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor lost their matches on Sunday ....

On Saturday, Galatasaray  beat  Eskisehir with a score 3-0 , without their world star player Drogba.

A win for Galatasaray, put pressure on Ersun Yanal's Fenerbahce before the Sivas vs Fenerbahce match in Sivas on Sunday!


With Galatasaray winning on Saturday, the gap on top, reduced to 4 points before Sunday's match..

On Sunday, In Sivas , Sivas stunned Fenerbahce with 2-0 score !

It very important to note that the referee Yunus Yildirim made some huge bad calls for both teams...

He did not call  a hand ball in the penalty box area for Fenerbahce....

On another play, He should have giving red card to Raul Meireles for intentional kicking instead he showed him yellow card !

Fenerbahce played the most of the match with 10 men after defender Egemen Korkmaz was red carded by Yunus Yildirim....

Former Fenerbahce player, now rookie coach at Sivasspor , Roberto Carlos won his first match against his former team as a coach!

Best teams of the first half of the season, Fenerbahce, has been slipping lately,,,,,

This is their back to back third away match losses !

10 points gap between Galatasaray has drop to  four points now......

15 weeks to go , the race will be very tight, between Fenerbahce ,Galatasaray and Besiktas, now !

After  the match, Fenerbahce coach Ersun Yanal said, they will win the championship at the end of the season even the gap narrowed !


On the other hand ,Roberto Mancini's Galatasaray playing at home and abroad....

At home, they are in Turkish Cup along with chasing Fenerbahce on top !

At abroad, in the Champions League they made it to round 16 under Mancini and they will face Chelsea ,soon in Istanbul first then in England in March...

Very busy time starts for Galatasaray.....

Could they handle all of this?

During the winter transfer window they have transferred some young legs....

Players like, Drogba, Sneijder, Muslera and Selcuk Inan will be Galatasaray go to guys  at home and abroad.

Galatasaray scored 15 goals in their last four matches while  keeper Muslera ,shut Galatasaray's goal !


While that is what's happening on top, at the bottom,two Kayseri teams; Kayserispor and Kayseri Erciyes is losing blood !

They are dead last two teams at the bottom....

Rize, Elazig and Antalya could be the third team this season to go down if they don't start winning matches!

There are many games to be played but the heat will be all the teams  starting next weekend ...

Trabzonspor losing at home against Akhisar was huge on Sunday!

On Monday night ,week 20 , will come to end with Genclerbirligi vs Karabuk match....

Sunday 9 February Bursaspor  1-1  Antalyaspor Elazigspor  3-0  Kayserispor Sivasspor  2-0  Fenerbahce Trabzonspor  2-4  Akhisar   Saturday 8 February Galatasaray  3-0  Eskisehirspor Erciyesspor  1-1  Rizespor   Friday 7 February Gaziantepspor  1-2  Besiktas Kasimpasa  1-3  Konyaspor