Fenerbahçe-Basaksehir is the final of the Turkish Cup 2022-23 and is played on Sunday at 7:45pm: formations, predictions, TV and streaming.
On the one hand there is a team, Fenerbahçe, who haven’t lifted this cup for 10 years and who could make it a ‘consolation prize’ after seeing their historic rivals Galatasaray win the championship. On the other hand, Basaksehir, another Istanbul club, are dreaming of their first Turkish Cup triumph: it would be the second title in their history after their historic victory in the Super Lig in the 2019-20 season.
Despite having the most prolific attack in the tournament – 87 goals scored, four more than Galatasaray – Fenerbahçe came out on top in a thrilling title sprint, coming up empty-handed for the ninth year in a row. The team coached by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus finished minus eight from first place, a gap that only widened after the last day, when Galatasaray prevailed 3-0 in an irrelevant direct confrontation, since the mathematics had already arrived a few days earlier and Fenerbahçe clearly had their sights set on the cup. The yellow and blue remained in the race until the end and ended up paying for a few too many false steps. Valencia and his team-mates conceded 42 goals, many more than Galatasaray (27) and two teams that came in behind the Canaries, such as Besiktas (36) and Basaksehir (37).
Fenerbahçe dream of their first title since 2014
While waiting to see what the Lusitanian coach will do – Brazil could tempt him by offering him the national team bench – Fenerbahçe give the impression that they are betting big on this cup, which would be a way to return to winning ways after a year-long drought
Emre Belozoglu
Try to stop him Emre Belozoglu, current Basaksehir coach and former Fenerbahçe player (and interim coach in 2021). The former Inter midfielder finished fifth in the league. A far cry from not only Vincenzo Montella’s Adana Demirspor, who finished fourth, but also from the podium. The only way for them to return to Europe – this year they were protagonists in the Conference League, finishing first in Fiorentina’s group – is therefore to win the Turkish Cup. In the semi-finals, Basaksehir won by the skin of their teeth, beating Ankaragucu in extra time.
The prediction
Fenerbahçe got the better of Basaksehir twice in the league that has just ended: 1-0 in October and 2-1 last April, games that were in any case very evenly balanced. Jorge Jesus, with suitcases in hand, will do everything in his power to give the Istanbul club, which has been out of action for the past nine years, a title. Fenerbahçe are favourites in a one-goal game: Basaksehir are likely to score at least one goal against a defence that has never looked solid this year.
Fenerbahçe-Basaksehir matchday squad
- FENERBAHCE (4-1-3-2): Egribayat; Kadioglu, Akaydin, Szalai, Luan; Willian; Kahveci, Crespo, Rossi; Guler, Valencia.
- BASAKSEHIR (4-4-2): Dilmen; Ozbayrakli, Touba, Wu, Erkin; Toruc, Biglia, Ozcan, Gurler; Keny, Figueiredo.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
