Türkiye Kupası Final

May 14, 2025 at 6.45pm UK

Gaziantep Stadium

Trabzonspor vs Galatasaray

The 63rd edition of the Türkiye Kupası(Turkish Cup) reaches its climax on Wednesday when last year's runners-up Galatasaray face Trabzonspor at the Gaziantep Stadium.

Galatasaray arrive as last season's Süper Lig champions, having qualified directly from the group stage. They finished level on points and goal difference with Başakşehir with five points, but reached the knockout stage on fair play - thanks to fewer yellow cards.

The road from there was far from smooth. Runners-up in their group, they had the disadvantage of playing on the road throughout the knockout stages.

First came a gruelling quarter-final clash with arch-rivals Fenerbahçe, which Galatasaray won 2-1 thanks to a fine finish from Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen. In the semi-finals, Okan Buruk's side thrashed Konyaspor 5-1 in a stunning rebuke of their group draw.

Awaiting them in the final will be Trabzonspor, who will be making their 17th appearance in the Turkish Cup final and are seeking their 10th title.

The Black Sea side last tasted cup glory in 2020 and will be keen to avenge last season's 3-2 heartbreak at the hands of Beşiktaş in Istanbul.

Their cup history is rich, with triumphs stretching from their golden era in the late 1970s to their modern success in 2019-20. But they have also suffered heartbreak, with seven defeats in the final casting a shadow over past campaigns.

Galatasaray, however, remain the tournament's most successful club.

The Lions have lifted the trophy 18 times in 23 finals, including a blistering run of four successive victories to open the competition between 1962 and 1966. Another victory would not only extend their record but also reaffirm their domestic dominance.

The two teams met just three days ago, with Galatasaray winning 2-0 on the road, with Bardakcı and Morata scoring for Galatasaray. However, it was Galatasaray goalkeeper and captain Muslera who was the star of the match, making five saves and putting in a number of solid performances in front of goal to keep his opponent's five shots on target all saved.

Trabzonspor's French midfielder Tim Jabol-Folcarell will miss the final due to injury. The situation of former Atletico defender Stefan Savic was unclear as he had been on the injury list last two weeks, but he was included in the final squad.

Galatasaray will be without former Inter Milan striker Icardi, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in last year's Europa League match against Tottenham Hotspur and has not been able to return to the court after surgery.

If recent results are anything to go by, Galatasaray are the team with the momentum. They have won seven games in a row in all competitions and look very likely to win the Turkish Super League. Trabzonspor's form has diminished slightly. They look shaky. After 5 wins and 1 defeat in April, they have not won a single game in May (1 draw and 1 defeat).

Obviously, a win in the last league game will give Galatasaray confidence while Trabzonspor will not be sitting idly by. They will be looking for a rare opportunity to lift the trophy for the first time in six years.