Hatayspor take on the visitors Besiktas in the round 18 match of Turkish Super Lig. The match will be played on Monday, December 25th at Mersin Stadyumu (Mersin).
Hatayspor have gracefully returned to football after a six-month hiatus. The Orange and Brown did not stand out in any particular way but had been making significant progress lately. In 2012, they climbed to the Second League, winning it six years later. Their next promotion, with a victory in the division, came two years after that. The Super League debut started well, securing the 6th place, but in the 2021/2022 season, they slipped to 12th. Then came the unfinished season. This club suffered the most from the February earthquake, and Christian Atsu tragically lost his life under the rubble. As a result, they decided to withdraw from the championship altogether. However, their place was reserved, and in August, exactly six months after the tragedy, Hatayspor returned, though now hosting opponents in Mersin. This did not prevent them from starting powerfully with eight matches without defeat. However, their performance declined further: in October-November, they lost three times, then, after an unexpected 2-1 victory over Galatasaray, drew with Antalyaspor in the new bore. After that, they played out a dull 0-0 draw with Ankaragucu.
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Besiktas were last at their peak in 2021 when they not only became the country's champion but also added the cup and the Super Cup. However, the previous season brought only a third-place finish. Currently, they are struggling to compete with perennial rivals, the neighboring Fenerbahce and Galatasaray – it is clear that this pair, having taken a lead, will contest the current title. Especially since the black and whites themselves are weak. They failed in the Conference League, finishing 3rd in the group. Moreover, 3 out of their 4 points were earned by defeating another outsider, Lugano, in the last round – it is clear that this had no impact. In the Super League, they are averaging less than two points per match. After the recent 1-3 home loss to the Canaries, the management decided to punish those they considered responsible, suspending Abubakar, Rosier, Bayi, Gezzal, and Zhan Onana from the squad. Later, it turned out that Vincent had also faked an injury: after undergoing a hair transplant, he did not want to use his head to avoid jeopardizing the result! Without them, they lost 1-3 to Alanyaspor. It's not surprising that Cherchesov is not in a hurry to agree to become the coach of this major club.
In the 2021-2022 season, the orange and brown team earned 7 points in 3 matches against the major club. The visitors are considered favorites, but they are also out of form. It's probably better to go for a bet with a neutral total under 2.5 goals.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
