Goztepe AS Izmir
- Stanimir Stoilov has installed a pragmatic, hard-to-beat approach since taking charge of Goztepe AS Izmir in November 2023, making the Yellow and Blues extremely difficult to beat at home.
- Goztepe are a compact, disciplined and tough to break down team and Stoilov’s 3-4-1-2 formation is very risk averse, which can make them very easy to support when they have the ball.
- They have won four, drawn three and lost just one of their eight Super Lig fixtures at Gürsel Aksel Stadium, where they concede on average just 0.38 goals per game.
Caykur Rizespor
- Monday’s visitors, Caykur Rizespor, have been more positive under Recep Ucar’s guidance since he took charge in December 2025, but the head-to-head history is all in Goztepe’s favour.
- Rizespor have had an inconsistent few weeks, winning two, drawing two and losing one of their last five games in all competitions.
Head-to-Head
- Goztepe have won three of the last five head-to-heads, drawing once and losing just once.
- The Izmir side thumped Rizespor 3-0 away in the Super Lig only five months ago.
Key Players
- Goztepe
- Juan, who has six goals in 16 Super Lig appearances, is Goztepe’s main threat up front and can cause a problem for any team.
- Arda Kurtulan has been in good form for Goztepe in recent weeks, scoring two of the team's last three goals in their past four matches.
- Rizespor
- Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who has scored four goals in just 11 Super Lig games for the Black Sea outfit this term.
Betting Insights
- The Izmir side should be the favorites with the bookmakers at 1.93, rather than 4.1 outsider status.
- Both Teams To Score is definitely worth a look at 1.85 as both sides should feel they can win this.
- However, Under 2.5 goals is our main selection at 1.73, and Goztepe’s home defensive record makes the Under bet the standout play.
Prediction
- This game will be a classic block vs press contest with Goztepe’s solidity at the back and ability to transition into their compact block and counter-attacking game, likely to have the edge over Ucar’s new-look Rizespor side that want to play with tempo and energy, press high and wide.
- Tip: Under 2.5 goals (main selection).
