Istanbul, Turkey
This Friday night, Galatasaray go start their title defense like serious matter as dem face Gaziantep for Kalyon Stadium. Season 2025-26 don come, and the lions dey ready to show dem who be boss. All fingers dey point towards Galatasaray win, based on how history don play out for their meetings.
As e be, these two clubs don clash 12 times for league, and you guess am? Galatasaray don win 10 times! Na only one time Gaziantep see victory, to make am worse, one win na by default (chai, dem no even fit win normally!). Dem score 27 goals while conceding just 11. E be like say, place no dey for Gaziantep to even dream big!
When dem dey visit Gaziantep, history no too kind to them. Galatasaray don visit the place six times before and come carry five wins waka without wahala. Dem only lose one match. Their last of the kind happened when they scored 12 goals and allowed just four. So, make we just dey say, Gaziantep dey face real challenge as dem dey try to avoid that same old heartbreaking pattern.
The opening matches fit dey surprise, but Galatasaray no fit settle for less. For their 67 years for Süper Lig, dem don play 67 first-week matches. Guess what? Dem don win 46 times! Na so dem dey shine under pressure. If you check their away record, dem don also gbe almost half of their opening matches with 15 wins from 28 matches. Talk about strong vibes!
Galatasaray no dey new for Gaziantep when e come to season opening. For 2001-02, dem draw 1-1 with Gaziantepspor, and later on, in 2009-10, dem show dem pepper with a 3-2 win. Last time, in 2020-21, na another 3-1 victory. This team sabi how to start strong.
Plus, e get some jittery stats wey show how Galatasaray dey shine for first weeks. Since 1959, dem don fail to score in only 10 opening matches. For home, dem don only miss points three times! Talk about consistent firepower.
This new season dey come with some hot changes too. 18 teams go dey play for the league again after dem try plenty team business for years. Na seven teams from Istanbul dey fight for title, including Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and others. The pressure go dey high as clubs wey finish last three go face relegation knife, no be small thing!
For fixtures, make we mark our calendar! Week 5 go shine with Fenerbahçe vs Trabzonspor, while Week 8 go bring traditional rivalry as Galatasaray face Beşiktaş. E no dey finish there; Week 11 go scatter ground with big matches, and return matches dey schedule pass as week dey waka.
Back to the new rules, now, clubs fit carry 12 foreign players for their match squad, plus two extra players wey young pass 2002. Na all these things dey shake the ground for footy. The summer transfer window don open, but plenty clubs dey strategize as the clock dey tick!
The season go officially start on August 8 with Gaziantep vs Galatasaray clash. Other matches go dey, but make we no forget to keep eyes on Fenerbahçe opener and other big fixtures. Na Monday, August 11, the first round go wrap up when Trabzonspor face Kocaelispor.
After the first half, dem go take small break until January 16. Then, e go be active until May 17, 2026, when we go know who carry the trophy! Buckle up, football fans, the action dey ready to unfold!
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