Prediction for the Turkish Super Lig: Trabzonspor vs Gençlerbirliği. H2H and probable lineups — May 17, 2026
On Sunday, in the 34th round of the Turkish Super Lig, Trabzonspor and Gençlerbirliği will play their final match of the season. While the hosts have already secured third place, the visitors from Ankara need at least a draw to stay in the top flight.
Match preview
This will be the second meeting between these teams in a week: on May 13, in the Turkish Cup semifinals, Gençlerbirliği hosted Trabzonspor. The match was tense: the home side opened the scoring in the 62nd minute, playing cautious, defensive football. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t hold on: in the 78th minute, Arda Çelik scored an own goal, and in stoppage time, Trabzon’s striker Ernest Muçi clinched a dramatic comeback victory, sending his team to their third consecutive final.
Gençlerbirliği are having a frankly poor season: 31 points from 33 games, and until recently, they endured a ten-match winless streak in the Super Lig, which ultimately led to the sacking of head coach Volkan Demirel. Despite reaching the Turkish Cup semifinals and beating Kocaelispor at the end of April, the club’s management decided to make a change after a defeat to Karagümrük. The new manager, Metin Diyadin, has already made an impact, leading the team to a 3-2 win over Kasımpaşa and reviving hopes of survival. Against teams of similar level, the Ankara side are not shy about controlling possession and taking the initiative, as they proved in round 33.
Trabzonspor are having a stellar season: as mentioned earlier, they’ve reached the Turkish Cup final for the third year in a row, though the previous two attempts ended in disappointment. In the league, under Fatih Tekke, the club improved on last year’s performance, clinching the bronze. Much of this success is down to their attacking players: three of them have scored over ten goals, but the main star is Paul Onuachu, who has netted 22 goals in 29 league matches. Even though he hasn’t scored for Trabzonspor in five games, he remains the key figure up front. The team has been consistent: just two defeats in their last 15 matches, racking up ten wins and delivering vibrant, attacking football.
It’s quite possible Tekke will rest several regulars for this match, with the Turkish Cup final set for May 22. Still, I expect an entertaining and, most importantly, high-scoring game — both teams have plenty to play for.
Key facts and head-to-head
- Trabzonspor have recorded four wins and one draw in their last five meetings
- Trabzonspor have won three of their last five matches, conceding in four of them
- Gençlerbirliği have won three of their last five games, keeping two clean sheets
Prediction
Given the head-to-head history and the current context, I expect a high-scoring encounter. My prediction: both teams to score – YES at 1.55
