Liam Garcia
Dailysports's expert
On May 26, 2025, the penultimate round of the Turkish Süper Lig will see Hatayspor take on Fenerbahçe at the "Mersin Arena" in Mersin. Here’s my pick for goals in this clash.
Hatayspor
Hatayspor are enduring a tough chapter in their history. The club, which burst onto the Süper Lig scene in the 2020/21 season with a remarkable 6th-place finish and a serious push for European football, has since lost its stability. Each subsequent campaign turned into a fight for survival, and while the team managed to stay afloat, this season has proven fatal.
It’s already confirmed that Hatayspor will finish 18th and drop out of the Süper Lig, heading to the second division. As a result, this upcoming match is essentially a formality for the club—its outcome carries no significance for either Hatayspor or their opponents.
Nevertheless, the "Maroon Bears" haven’t thrown in the towel. Up until the last two rounds, the team was mired in a six-game losing streak, but managed a late-season turnaround. Over their past two fixtures, Hatayspor collected four points and even delivered a spectacular 5-0 away thrashing of Adana Demirspor in the previous round.
Fenerbahçe
This season also holds little at stake for Fenerbahçe. Once again, the side was unable to truly challenge their fierce rivals Galatasaray for the title, finishing runners-up for the fourth consecutive season and settling for silver medals.
Still, second place means Fenerbahçe get a shot at the Champions League group stage through the qualification playoffs. The tournament, which José Mourinho has won twice, remains elusive for Fenerbahçe. Last campaign, they failed to get through qualifying, losing to Lille, and then dropped into the Europa League, where their journey ended in the round of 16 against Rangers.
So far, Mourinho’s stint in Turkey hasn’t lived up to expectations. There’s been no shortage of headlines and controversy, but consistent results and silverware have been lacking. Still, the Portuguese manager’s experience and star power keep the club in the spotlight and give fans hope for a more successful next season.
After a home defeat to Beşiktaş that mathematically ended their title hopes, Fenerbahçe didn’t fold. In the following two rounds, Mourinho’s men picked up confident, well-deserved wins, showing that even with the title out of reach, their hunger for victory remains intact.
Probable lineups
- Hatayspor: Daduk, Aliji, Kilama, Yilmaz, Sertel, Massanaga, Çörekçi, Saglam, Boutobba, Okoronkwo, Fernandes
- Fenerbahçe: Livaković, Müldür, Škriniar, Djiku, Aydın, Fred, Kostić, Tadić, Talisca, En-Nesyri
Match facts and H2H
- In their last 11 matches, Hatayspor have kept a clean sheet just once.
- Fenerbahçe have failed to score in only one of their last nine games.
- The first meeting between these teams this season ended with a 2-1 home win for Fenerbahçe.
- Fenerbahçe boast the best away attack in the Süper Lig—46 goals scored on the road.
- In the history of head-to-head clashes, Hatayspor have only managed one draw; Fenerbahçe have won the other eight encounters.
Prediction
Only once has the "Over 4.5 goals" bet landed in recent meetings between Hatayspor and Fenerbahçe. Given the lack of competitive motivation, we’re unlikely to see an open, high-scoring affair. Our pick: Under 4.0 goals at odds of 1.86.
