Fenerbahce will try to move into first place in the Turkish Super Lig for the first time this season when they host Caykur Rizespor on Friday evening at the Chobani Stadium. The Istanbul club sit second with 66 points from 29 games, two behind Galatasaray, and have given themselves a chance to press the title race after a 4-0 win over Kayserispor last Saturday.
N'Golo Kante scored just before halftime in that victory, Talisca added two goals and Dorgeles Nene struck in the 62nd minute as Fenerbahce posted a third straight win. The result underlined how sharply they are finishing the campaign, but it also left them with a small margin for error because they have won 19 of their 29 league games, drawn nine and lost only once.
Rizespor arrive with a different kind of momentum. They beat Gaziantep 2-1 on Monday after falling behind to Mohamed Bayo's 23rd-minute goal, then turned the match with late goals from Qazim Laci and Ali Sowe in a two-minute spell. That made it five wins from their subsequent seven league games, even though they also lost away at Trabzonspor and Fatih Karagumruk during that stretch.
For Rizespor, the bigger obstacle is history. They have lost each of their last 13 meetings with Fenerbahce since September 2018, a run that has turned this fixture into one of the least forgiving on their schedule. They also go into the game on three consecutive away defeats and have failed to win 10 of their most recent 11 away matches, leaving them eighth on 36 points and still chasing a top-half finish.
Fenerbahce will again be without Jayden Oosterwolde, who is serving a one-game suspension after crossing the yellow-card threshold against Kayserispor. Marco Asensio missed that match with a muscle problem, Milan Skriniar has recently been dealing with a groin issue, Ismail Yuksek is set to sit out his third consecutive game and Edson Alvarez remains sidelined after an ankle injury in February. Rizespor are also short of a full-strength defensive option, with Khuskiddin Alikulov missing their last 13 games after going off injured against Goztepe.
The match matters because Fenerbahce have not been top of the table at any point this season, and Galatasaray's recent stumble has opened a narrow door for a late surge. Rizespor can still strengthen their hold on a place in the top half, but they have to do it in a stadium where they have not taken points in more than six years. For Fenerbahce, Friday evening is not just another home game. It is a chance to turn pressure on the leaders into something much more direct.