Bodrumspor is set to kick off their first season in the Turkish Super Lig by facing Gaziantep at the Bodrum Ilce Stadi on Monday. The hosts earned their promotion to the top division after a 3-1 win in the playoff final last year, while the visitors finished 11th in the league with 44 points.
Bodrumspor has had a remarkable journey through the Turkish football leagues, achieving four promotions in the last 10 seasons to reach the Turkish Super Lig for the first time. They started in the amateur divisions and worked their way up to the TFF Third League in 2014-15, then to the TFF Second League in 2016-17, and finally to the TFF First League in 2021-22 before making it to the top flight last season.
Despite narrowly missing out on promotion in 2022-23, Bodrumspor secured their spot in the Turkish Super Lig by winning the 2023-24 playoff final 3-1. This historic achievement marks their first appearance in the top division and makes them the first team from the Muğla Province to reach this level.
Ismet Tasdemir, the team’s coach since 2021, will be looking to establish Bodrumspor in the Turkish Super Lig this season, starting with a victory against Gaziantep on the opening day. However, Gaziantep is expected to provide a tough challenge, given their experience in the top tier of Turkish football over the past six years.
Under the leadership of Selcuk Inan, Gaziantep has been a consistent mid-table team in recent years, finishing in the top half of the league standings. Despite some initial struggles, Inan’s side finished the previous season with three consecutive wins and will be aiming to continue this momentum into the new campaign.
In terms of team news, Bodrumspor will be missing Tunahan Akpinar and Mustafa Erdilman due to long-term injuries, while new signings like Christophe Herelle, Zdravko Dimitrov, and Fredy could make their debut. On the other hand, Gaziantep will have a fully fit squad available, including summer signings like Sokratis Dioudis and Kacper Kozlowski.
Possible starting lineups for the match are as follows:
Bodrumspor: Sousa; Ergun, Celustka, Herelle, Sen; Bayrakdar, Brazao, Obekpa, Fredy, Dimitrov; Osman
Gaziantep: Dioudis; M’Bakata, Saborit, Ersoy, Bitok; Maxim, Daubin, Kozlowski; Eskihellac, Kodro, Cihan
In terms of predictions, despite Bodrumspor’s enthusiasm for their debut season, Gaziantep’s experience and quality at this level are likely to give them the edge. A 1-0 victory for Gaziantep is anticipated in this match.
For more in-depth analysis on potential outcomes and scorelines, readers can click on the provided link.