Turkish Super Lig: 3 Teams That Can Win The Title
Last season's Super Lig season in Turkey was an all-bangers, no-clangers sizzler with the league's three big teams all in with the chance of clinching the title on the final day.
by Tim Stannard
The new campaign starting on Friday 13th August is set to be a repeat performance.
There was a definite wobble in the end as their Istanbul rivals gained ground in the final rounds, but Besiktas heaved themselves over the finishing line to win the club's first Super Lig title in four years, but the team's third in six seasons.
The aim over the summer for the champions has been to consolidate their success by keeping hold of the players who delivered the title. So far, so good with Canadian international striker, Cyle Larin, still on the books, having scored 19 league goals last season. Fellow Canadian, Atiba Hutchinson, continues to be the team's reference point in midfield and club captain.
Another key part of Besiktas' success last season looks set to be secured with a deal being struck for Algerian winger, Rachid Ghezzal, to join from Leicester City. Ghezzal spent the past season on loan in Turkey and was pivotal with eight goals and an incredible 17 assists.
The forward line has been reinforced with the signing of the almost forgotten Brazilian striker, Alex Teixeira, who has spent the past five seasons in China. With the signing of the Brazilian along with Besiktas holding on to their stars of last season (so far), the Black Eagles will still be the team to chase this season.
The team that is most under pressure to deliver in Turkey is Fenerbahce, especially with the expected return of some feverish fans in the stands. Fener are still number one in the list of all-time Super Lig wins with 28 victories - five more than Galatasaray - but the side have cliched the title just once in the past eleven years.
The pressure is on new coach, Portugal's Vitor Pereira, who returns for a second stint in charge after a spell in the 2015-16 season. "Fenerbahçe was an unfinished love for me," admitted Pereira on his return to Turkey.
Challenge number one will be to get the best out of Mesut Ozil. The German playmaker joined in the winter transfer window but Ozil's impact was limited due to injury and the fact that he had barely played in his final months for Arsenal.
Challenge number two will be to scrap around in the summer transfer market looking for loans and bargains, especially to give Enner Valencia a helping hand up front. The Ecuadorian forward was a marquee player last season with 12 goals and four assists in a Super Lig campaign where Fener finished third, but just two points off Besiktas at the top of the table. So close, yet so far for Fener's demanding fans.
So far this summer, Galatasaray have had a tranquil time of it in the transfer market as the club plots winning back the Super Lig, a title that has been out of Gala's hands for the past two campaigns. The best move so far is the free transfer of fullback Patrick van Aanholt from Crystal Palace, who will add experience and balance to the team with USMNT defender, DeAndre Yedlin on the opposite flank.
Experience is the theme of Galatasaray's strategy this season with the club relying on an old guard midfield of the cleat-hurling Arda Turan, Ryan Babel and Sofiane Feghouli in the mix. While Gala continue to look for an exit for the injury-prone Radamel Falcao - too 'old' and not enough 'guard' - exciting Egyptian forward Mostafa Mohamed will continue to be the point man for goals.
A quiet transfer window in the first part of the summer could be ended swiftly though with a rude awakening in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League for Fatih Terim's men, who were bounced out of the competition, shipping seven goals to PSV over two legs.
Expect a furious few weeks as Galatasaray look to gain an upper hand over their rivals in the upcoming Turkish Super Lig title race.
