Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the fixtures of the 37th round of the Turkish Super Lig will take place on Sunday at Tupras Arena, where the local side Besiktas will host Rizespor. Here’s a value bet suggestion for this clash with attractive odds.
Match preview
The Black Eagles are firmly entrenched in the upper part of the table, sitting in fourth place and holding a realistic shot at the bronze medals. They trail Samsunspor by just a single point, and with their rival set to face a strong Trabzonspor side, Solskjær’s men have every chance to improve their position. Importantly, the team approaches this match in excellent form—five games unbeaten, buoyed by the passionate home support at their stadium.
However, squad issues persist: key players Emirhan Topçu and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are absent, and Bakhtiyor Zaynutdinov remains sidelined through injury. Despite this, the squad retains high fighting spirit and knows how to deliver when it matters most, making them favorites for the upcoming encounter.
The Black Sea Hawks this season are more focused on staying in the top flight, currently 13th with a comfortable seven-point cushion above the relegation zone. They’ve been solid at home, winning their last three matches and drawing once, which has helped them consolidate their mid-table position. However, their away form remains a concern: four consecutive losses and just five road wins all season highlight obvious problems.
Notably, Rizespor have yet to draw a single away game, underlining a lack of stability and concentration on their travels. Coupled with low motivation and their underdog status against a powerful Besiktas, it’s hard to expect the visitors to put up strong resistance.
Probable lineups
- Besiktas: Destanoglu – Svensson, Paulista, Uduokhai, Masuaku – Fernandes, Ucan – Rashica, João Mário, Muçi – Rafa Silva
- Rizespor: Grbić I., Şahin T., Moke A., Akaydin S., Højer K., Varesanović D., Pala M., Ömür A., Olawoyin I., Akintola B., Sow A.
Match facts and head-to-head
- The first-round fixture ended in a 1-1 draw
- The "Total over 2.5" bet landed in four of their last five meetings
- Both teams scored in three of their last five encounters
Prediction
Bookmakers are well aware that Besiktas are in the thick of the fight for third place. That’s why the odds for a home win are as low as 1.43. The recommendation here is to back "Besiktas -1.0 Asian Handicap" at odds of 1.68.
