Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor preview, h2h, team news: Onuachu hunts Galatasaray’s title dreams

Alanyaspor welcome Trabzonspor to the Bahcesehir Okullari Stadyumu on Saturday for a Super Lig Matchweek 29 fixture that pits a side stuck in mid-table mediocrity against one of the three genuine title contenders in Turkish football this season, Afrik-Foot reports.

The visitors arrive in Alanya riding a six-match winning run in the league, which included a statement 2-1 victory over leaders Galatasaray last time out at Papara Park.

Trabzonspor sit third in the table levelled on 63 points with second-placed Fenerbahçe from 28 matches and four adrift of Galatasaray. But there is genuine belief that a sustained push could close the gap on the league leaders before the season runs out.

Alanyaspor, by contrast, have won just six of their 28 league outings so far and sit 10th on 32 points, hovering uncomfortably between mid-table anonymity and the fringes of a relegation battle that could yet drag them in if results do not improve.

Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor match preview

Joao Pereira’s Alanyaspor have been defined by draws this season, with 14 stalemates in 28 matches, more than any other team in the division.

That inability to turn tight games into wins has left them with a low goals-for tally and it is the lack of a reliable goalscorer that has been the most persistent problem throughout the campaign.

Their last five league results read D-W-D-D-L, a run that includes a 5-0 hammering of Kocaelispor and a 1-1 draw away to Gaziantep in their most recent outing.

Home form has been mixed too, with five wins, six draws and one defeat from 12 matches at the Bahcesehir Okullari Stadyumu so far this season.

Trabzonspor, meanwhile, are a team transformed under Fatih Tekke.

The former Alanyaspor manager has engineered the Black Sea Storm’s best run of form since their title-winning 2021-22 campaign, with six consecutive league victories propelling them firmly into the title picture.

That sequence included a hard-fought 3-1 win over Kayserispor, a 1-0 victory at Caykur Rizespor, a 1-0 win away to Eyupspor and the headline result of the campaign so far: the 2-1 defeat of Galatasaray at Papara Park on April 4.

It was Trabzonspor’s first win against Galatasaray under Tekke in five attempts, ending an 882-day drought against the big sides, and it has given the entire squad a belief that the title race is far from over.

With 19 wins, six draws and three defeats from 28 league matches so far, Trabzonspor have enjoyed an excellent campaign. They boast one of the best defensive record in the league (30 goals conceded) to go alongside a potent attack that has scored 63 times – only Galatasaray have managed more.

Away from home, the visitors have won 10 of their league matches on the road this season, a record bettered only by Galatasaray.

Alanyaspor’s remaining aim is straightforward: accumulate enough points to avoid being sucked into the relegation dogfight in the final weeks.

For Trabzonspor, the ambition is grander and clearer: keep winning to put maximum pressure on Galatasaray and Fenerbahce above them.

Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor head-to-head

These two clubs have met 22 times in competitive fixtures, with Alanyaspor holding a narrow advantage of nine wins to Trabzonspor’s eight, with five draws.

The average goals per meeting stands at 3.05, so this fixture has historically produced open, entertaining games.

The reverse fixture earlier this season at Papara Park ended 1-1, with both teams finding the net in the second half after a goalless opening 45 minutes.

The two sides also met in the Turkish Cup in December 2025, where Alanyaspor secured a 1-0 win in Trabzon thanks to a Guven Yalcin goal on 17 minutes.

Last season’s meetings were high-scoring affairs, with Trabzonspor winning 4-3 at home and Alanyaspor winning 2-1 at the Bahcesehir Okullari Stadyumu.

The home advantage has been a significant factor in recent meetings, with the host winning in six of the last six encounters across all competitions, each side claiming three of those victories on their own turf.

Alanyaspor will take confidence from that trend, though the scale of the gap in current form between the two sides may override the historical pattern this time around.

Team news: Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor

Alanyaspor have a number of absences to contend with heading into this fixture.

Midfielder Izzet Celik, Enes Keskin, Yusuf Ozdemir and Bedirhan Ozyurt all remain unavailable due to bans related to the betting violations that have rocked Turkish football this season.

Buluthan Bulut is still recovering from a knee injury and will not feature.

On a more positive note, Ianis Hagi should be available after completing a yellow card suspension, which will give Pereira an extra creative option in midfield.

Guven Yalcin, who has four league goals this season from limited starts, has been used mainly as an impact substitute but scored the winner in the Turkish Cup meeting in December and could be involved from the bench again.

For Trabzonspor, Arseniy Batagov continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained in the Kayserispor match, though he was expected to return around this fixture.

Ernest Muci is also sidelined through injury and will not travel.

Edin Visca remains a long-term absentee and is not expected back until May at the earliest.

Anthony Nwakaeme, the 36-year-old Nigerian winger who suffered a serious hamstring tear early in the season, has been making his way back and featured in the starting lineup against Galatasaray, a welcome boost for the away side. Nwakaeme provided the assist for compatriot Chibuike Nwaiwu to net the winner against Galatasaray and both will be keen to make another impact here.

Manchester United loanee Andre Onana will continue between the posts after several commanding performances in recent weeks.

Paul Onuachu, the Super Lig’s top scorer with 22 goals in 25 league appearances, is fully fit and in the form of his life.

Alanyaspor predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Taskiran; Nuno Lima, Aliti, Akdag; Hadergjonaj, Makouta, Janvier, Ozdemir; Hagi, Hwang Ui-Jo; Sporar

Trabzonspor predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Onana; Eskihellac, Savic, Nwaiwu, Pina; Ozan Tufan, Jabol-Folcarelli; Zubkov, Felipe Augusto, Nwakaeme; Onuachu

STAR PLAYER COMPARISON
Ianis Hagi Alanyaspor | AM Creator	VS	Paul Onuachu Trabzonspor | ST Goal Machine
3	Goals	22
4	Assists	2
6.9	Avg Rating	7.65
1.2	Key Passes/90	0.9
1.4	Shots/90	3.1
18	Appearances	25
Stats from 2025-26 Super Lig season

The statistical gulf between these two tells its own story.

Onuachu has been a one-man wrecking ball for Trabzonspor this season, leading the Super Lig scoring charts by a comfortable margin with 22 goals in 25 league outings.

The Nigerian striker’s 7.65 average FotMob rating is among the best in the division, and his 3.1 shots per 90 minutes reflect a player who is the focal point of every Trabzonspor attack.

Hagi, by contrast, brings a different skill set: the Romanian’s creativity and ability to pick a pass between the lines has been one of Alanyaspor’s few bright spots, but his output of three goals in 18 appearances tells you how far behind this squad is in terms of individual quality at the sharp end.

The managers

Fatih Tekke knows Alanyaspor inside out, having managed the club from November 2023 until his resignation in November 2024, citing frustration at internal problems within the club that blocked his ability to solve issues on the pitch.

The 48-year-old former Trabzonspor striker, who scored over 100 goals for the Black Sea club as a player and was the Super Lig’s top scorer in 2004-05 with 31 goals, has returned to his spiritual home and delivered results from the very start.

Since his appointment in March 2025, Tekke has overseen Trabzonspor’s best campaign since their 2021-22 title success, integrating young players into a squad that holds the youngest average age in the league at 24.9 years.

Joao Pereira took charge of Alanyaspor in March 2025 and has steadied the ship after a turbulent period, though the results have been mixed.

The former Portugal international, who earned 36 caps and played at Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup, spent three and a half years at Trabzonspor as a player and won the 2019-20 Turkish Cup, so he has his own connections to Saturday’s opponents.

His preferred 3-4-2-1 formation has brought defensive solidity in patches, but Alanyaspor’s league-high 11 draws tell you that his team struggle to take the initiative when it matters most.

Tactical preview: Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor

Pereira has generally deployed a 3-4-2-1 system with wing-backs providing width and two creative players operating behind a lone striker.

That shape gives Alanyaspor compactness in defence and allows them to absorb pressure, which explains the high number of draws.

The problem is that the wing-backs, Hadergjonaj on the right and Ozdemir on the left, often lack the final ball quality to turn possession into chances, and the lone forward (usually Sporar or Hwang Ui-Jo) becomes isolated without proper supply.

Tekke’s Trabzonspor generally set up in a 4-2-3-1, though they have shown tactical flexibility throughout the campaign, occasionally shifting to a 4-4-2 depending on the opposition.

The double pivot of Ozan Tufan and Jabol-Folcarelli provides a solid base, while the wide players, Oleksandr Zubkov on one flank and Nwakaeme on the other, have the pace and directness to stretch any defence.

Behind Onuachu, Felipe Augusto operates as the number 10, threading passes into the channels and linking midfield to attack.

The key tactical battle will be in the wide areas: if Alanyaspor’s wing-backs are pinned back by Trabzonspor’s wide attackers, the home side will lose their main outlet for transitional play.

Trabzonspor’s aerial threat through Onuachu is another issue for the Alanyaspor back three, with the 6ft 7in Nigerian winning more aerial duels than almost anyone in the division.

Set pieces could also be decisive, with Trabzonspor scoring 16 headed goals this season, the most in the league, and Alanyaspor’s zonal marking system has looked vulnerable at times.

Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor betting tips

BETTING TIPS
Tip 1: Trabzonspor to win Trabzonspor have won six straight league games and boast the form, firepower and confidence to take three points on the road. Alanyaspor have won just five of 24 league matches this season and score the fourth fewest goals in the division.	1.75	★★★★
Tip 2: Paul Onuachu anytime goalscorer The Nigerian has scored in six consecutive matches and leads the Super Lig with 22 goals. He scores roughly once every 97 minutes this season. Alanyaspor have kept just four clean sheets at home all season.	1.90	★★★★★
Tip 3: Under 2.5 goals This looks counter-intuitive given the H2H average of 3.05, but Alanyaspor’s recent home games have been low-scoring (just seven goals in their last five at home), and four of Trabzonspor’s last five league wins came by a single goal margin. The away side have been grinding out results rather than blowing teams away.	2.10	★★★
Best value tip: Trabzonspor win and under 3.5 goals Combining the most likely result with the most probable goal range gives better value than backing the away win alone. Trabzonspor’s recent wins have been controlled, clinical performances rather than blow-outs, and Alanyaspor are hard to beat at home even if they rarely win. A 0-1 or 1-2 scoreline looks the most probable path to a Trabzonspor victory.	2.25	★★★★

Trabzonspor are the clear favourites here, and for good reason.

Their six-match winning run, combined with the league’s top scorer in red-hot form, makes them a formidable proposition for any opponent right now, let alone a mid-table side that has drawn 14 of 28 games and struggles badly in front of goal.

The value play sits with the Trabzonspor win and under 3.5 goals combination, which accounts for the visitors’ tendency to win by tight margins in recent weeks while acknowledging that Alanyaspor have been difficult to break down at the Bahcesehir Okullari Stadyumu.

Onuachu as an anytime goalscorer at 1.90 is the best individual bet on the card, given his form and the fact that he has scored in six straight matches.

Alanyaspor vs. Trabzonspor score prediction

SCORE PREDICTION
Alanyaspor 0	–	Trabzonspor 2
Trabzonspor have the league’s best attack, its top scorer, and momentum on their side. Alanyaspor have scored just 26 goals in 24 matches and have not beaten a top-six side at home this season. The visitors’ recent tendency to keep clean sheets on the road (three in their last five away wins) points towards a comfortable, controlled away victory. Paul Onuachu to open the scoring looks likely, with a second from either Zubkov or Felipe Augusto to seal the three points.

Everything points towards a Trabzonspor win here.

Alanyaspor do not score enough to threaten this Trabzonspor defence on current form, and with Onuachu in the kind of scoring streak that only comes around once or twice in a career, the away side have too much quality in the final third for a home team that has managed just 34 goals in 28 league matches.

The 0-2 scoreline is the most probable away win outcome according to statistical models, and it fits the pattern of Trabzonspor’s recent away performances: controlled, efficient and rarely wasteful.

Prediction: Alanyaspor 0-2 Trabzonspor