Antalyaspor will face Goztepe SK in the first game of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season at the Antalya Stadium. Antalyaspor finished mid-table last season and will be looking to start strong against newly promoted Goztepe SK.
Antalyaspor’s performance in the Turkish Super Lig has been inconsistent in recent years, finishing seventh, 13th, and 10th in the past three seasons. The team is now under the management of former Fenerbahce midfielder Alex, who will be looking to improve on last season’s results. Despite their previous fifth-place finish in the 2016-17 season, Antalyaspor has struggled to replicate that success in recent years.
On the other hand, Goztepe SK is returning to the Super Lig after spending two years in the second tier. The team finished as runners-up last season to secure their promotion back to the top division. Manager Stanimir Stoilov will be aiming to avoid relegation again and improve on their previous performances in the Super Lig.
In terms of team news, Antalyaspor has a full squad available for the first game of the season. Five new signings are expected to make their debut, including Kenan Piric, Thalisson Kelven, Soner Dikmen, Moussa Djenepo, and Braian Samudio. However, Goztepe’s Ogun Bayrak will miss the game due to injury, while several new players could make their competitive debuts for the team.
The possible starting lineups for both teams include key players who will be looking to make an impact in the opening game. Antalyaspor’s Samudio will be eager to fill the void left by last season’s top scorer, Adam Buksa. On the other hand, Goztepe SK will rely on players like Koray Gunter, Djalma Silva, and Romulo to lead the team to success.
In terms of a prediction, both teams have shown a tendency for high-scoring games in their pre-season fixtures, averaging 3.0 goals per game. Therefore, a 2-2 draw between Antalyaspor and Goztepe SK could be on the cards for their opening game of the season.
Overall, the match between Antalyaspor and Goztepe SK promises to be an exciting start to the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig season, with both teams eager to secure a positive result in their first game back in the top division.