Trabzonspor look to return to winning ways in Saturday's Turkish Super Lig action against Caykur Rizespor at Papara Park.
The Trabzon outfit were beaten in gameweek two by Galatasaray, while Rizespor played out a goalless encounter against Alanyaspor.
Match preview
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A trip to defending Super Lig champions Galatasaray was unlikely to be straightforward for the Black Sea Storm, and so it proved in the 2-0 defeat.
That loss followed a 1-0 opening-day triumph over Antalyaspor on August 11, so Nenad Bjelica's team are seeking their second victory of the 2023-24 season.
They should be optimistic, having claimed four straight victories on home turf dating back to last season — they have also claimed nine wins from 12 matches in front of their fans in 2023.
Trabzonspor could make it 10 wins from 13 at their ground this weekend, and they have reason to believe it is a possibility.
Black Sea Storm have never lost this fixture, winning seven times in eight home meetings with Rizespor, so everything points to a Trabzonspor triumph on Saturday.
Indeed, the away side face an uphill task to secure their first-ever win in Trabzon, with an indifferent start to the season leaving them winless after two games.
A 2-1 defeat by Adana Demirspor was their opening-day outcome, and a 0-0 result followed last weekend.
The tie was doubly disappointing when you consider that Rizespor played the final half-hour of the game (including second-half stoppage time) against a 10-man Alanyaspor, who had Oguz Aydin dismissed in minute 67.
Ilhan Palut's team managed only two shots on goal in the game's final 30 minutes, further emphasising the disappointment of that draw.
They seek to rewrite history against Trabzonspor this weekend, and the results in the preceding decade underscore the task facing the Rize-based club.
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Team News
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Trabzonspor are without Mislav Orsic until 2024 after the Croatian suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last month.
Bjelica has to make do without Trezeguet and Joaquin Fernandez, with Tonio Teklic and Stefano Denswil likely to deputise.
Rizespor's Khusniddin Alikulov is sidelined, and Anil Yasar could replace the former at centre-back.
The away side are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 in Trabzon.
Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Larsen, Denswil, Benkovic, Elmali; Kourbelis; Visca, Bakasetas, Omur, Teklic; Bozok
Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:
Akkan; Sahin, Topcu, Yasar, Pehlivan; Olawoyin, Pala; Zeqiri, Varesanovic, Sauer; Mary
We say: Trabzonspor 3-1 Caykur Rizespor
Trabzonspor have never lost at home to Rizespor, and it is not expected to be different on Saturday, with Bjelica's men to run out comfortable victors against the winless away side.
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