Expectations of Managers Ahead of the Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe Derby

In the Süper Lig's eagerly awaited derby, Galatasaray will host Fenerbahçe at RAMS Park on October 26, 2026. Ahead of the match, Galatasaray Manager Okan Buruk stated that he wants his team to display the same high-tempo play seen in the Champions League during the derby, while Fenerbahçe Manager İsmail Kartal expressed his belief that they will win the derby despite criticism following the Slavia Prague draw.

Emphasizing that his team's league average of 99 kilometers of running would not be enough for the derby, Okan Buruk demanded uninterrupted high performance from his players for 90 minutes. Buruk expects the tempo shown particularly against Lille in the Champions League to be repeated in the Fenerbahçe match.

On the Fenerbahçe front, Manager İsmail Kartal voiced his belief in a derby victory despite the criticism directed at him following the Slavia Prague draw in Europe. Recalling their match on May 19, 2024, which they won with 10 men on the same pitch, Kartal stated that they aim for a similar success.