Galatasaray head into enemy territory on Wednesday, clashing with archrival Fenerbahçe at Ülker Stadium in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals.
After a tough league loss to Beşiktaş, the Lions aim to rebound by eliminating their bitter foes and reigniting their cup ambitions.
Cup journey so far
Galatasaray began their campaign in the group stage, finishing second in Group C with five points from one win and two draws against Başakşehir, Konyaspor, and Boluspor.
Now, they look to take a major step toward the title with a victory in Kadıköy.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has been a goal-scoring machine for Galatasaray, netting 26 times this season – 20 in the Süper Lig and six in the UEFA Europa League.
Behind him, Barış Alper Yılmaz and Yunus Akgün have each chipped in with 11 goals.
Balanced scoring in Cup
Galatasaray has showcased a well-rounded attack in the cup, scoring six goals from six different players.
Alvaro Morata, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Davinson Sanchez, Ahmed Kutucu, Yusuf Demir, and Eyüp Aydın have all found the net, highlighting the squad’s depth.
Galatasaray has played five derbies this season – four in the league and one in the TFF Super Cup – securing two wins, two losses, and a draw.
Notably, they are unbeaten in their last three trips to Ülker Stadium, with two victories and one draw.
Their last away loss to Fenerbahçe came on April 10, 2022, in a 2-0 defeat.
403rd chapter
This storied rivalry began on Jan. 17, 1909, when Galatasaray won 2-0 at “Papazın Çayırı,” the site of today’s Ülker Stadium.
In 402 meetings, Fenerbahçe holds the edge with 149 wins to Galatasaray’s 129 (one by default), while 124 matches ended in draws.
The Yellow Canaries have scored 542 goals to the Lions’ 500, including a 3-0 default win in the recent Super Cup.
In 27 previous Turkish Cup meetings, Galatasaray have reigned supreme, winning 14 times compared to Fenerbahçe’s three.
Ten clashes ended level.
The Lions have also outscored their rivals 44-29 in this competition.
Recent form in derbies
Galatasaray have had the upper hand in their last 10 encounters, winning five (one by default) while Fenerbahçe claimed three victories.
In that span, the Lions have netted 14 times to the Canaries’ six.
The most recent derby, the TFF Super Cup in April, saw Galatasaray take a 1-0 lead before Fenerbahçe abandoned the match, resulting in a 3-0 default win.