Hatayspor were the only Super Lig side not in Turkish Cup fifth round action this week given their embarrassing third round loss to third-tier Duzcespor before the World Cup.
All other teams have participated in competitive games, but they have had more time to concentrate solely on this match. It is unclear whether that will help or hurt them.
Though any slipups from sides in the bottom half could cause them to slide down the table quickly, they must be prepared to go.
Every team from Alanyaspor in ninth place down is in danger of getting sucked into a relegation battle in a league that has almost split in half.
Hatayspor sit just one point above the dotted line, and their attack has been the cause for many of their early-season problems.
Only Kasimpasa has scored fewer goals this season; they’ve averaged less than one goal per game while giving up more than two goals per game.
Manager Volkan Demirel may have been secretly relieved that he was able to keep Ayoub El Kaabi over the break as he was not included in Morocco’s World Cup squad. Without him, they would be in much deeper trouble.
He contributed to five of their 12 goals this year and finished joint-second in the scoring charts last year with 18 goals.
During the break, Volkan’s team played some recognisable foes, losing to Karagumruk and defeating Gaziantep in friendlies before losing 5-2 to Lazio, albeit against a full-strength Lazio.
Giresunspor enters this match coming off of perhaps their most disgraceful defeat ever.
They hosted third division team Karacabey Belediyespor in the cup on their return to competitive play, where they surprisingly lost 5-0.
The team was far from at full strength, but the manner of the defeat, coupled with the humiliating scoreline, has brought them under intense scrutiny.
They should not have returned in such a manner after finishing the first half of the season with three outstanding victories.
Before a famous victory at league leaders Fenerbahce, they came from behind to defeat both Istanbulspor and Ankaraspor 3-2 in the league and cup.
With 20 minutes left, they were down 2-1 in Istanbul, but a late double from Borja Sainz gave them the victory.
Just in time for the World Cup break, that victory lifted them out of the relegation zone, and back-to-back league victories—their first since gameweek three—were a welcome relief.
1×2 Betting Odds
There may not be much to distinguish the teams in this matchup because both teams finished the first half of the season in a comparatively strong manner.
There shouldn’t be any aftereffects from Giresunspor’s shocking 5-0 loss in midweek because only a small portion of the predicted starting XI played.
Saying that, the home side are still the favourites to win this with odds @ 2.38.
The shocking 5-0 loss could have played a part in the market believing that Giresunspor are the underdogs in this. Their odds are @ 3.32.
The possibility of a stalemate stands @ 3.72.
Total goals over/under
The odds that the total number of goals score will be over 2.5, stands @ 1.86.
While the odds that the total number of goals will be under 2.5, stands @ 2.11.
