In the lead-up to their Super Cup showdown in Saudi Arabia, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, fierce adversaries, will lock horns in their last league encounter of 2023 in Kadiköy Sunday.

After 16 matches, Fenerbahçe boast the title of the league's top scorers, netting 44 goals and maintaining an impressive average of 30, while conceding only 14 goals.

Galatasaray, on the other hand, caught attention for their solid defense, allowing a mere nine goals in 16 matches, securing their position as the team with the least goals conceded.

This season, Fenerbahçe have been dominant at home, securing seven victories and suffering only one defeat in 8 matches.

Meanwhile, Galatasaray have also displayed strength on the road, with six wins, one draw and a single loss in eight outings.

Fenerbahçe's attacking prowess is evident throughout the match, especially in the first and last 15 minutes of both halves.

Scoring 44 goals this season, the team has demonstrated early and late-game effectiveness, with nine goals in the opening 15 minutes and another nine in the final 15 minutes.

Notably, the period between the 61st and 75th minutes has been another golden time frame, contributing nine goals to the Yellow Canaries' tally.

However, there's a lull in their goal-scoring between the 16th and 30th minutes, where they managed to find the net only four times.

Galatasaray, with 32 goals in 16 matches, have showcased balanced scoring prowess, with a joint double-digit average alongside Fenerbahçe.

Scoring 15 goals in the first half and 17 in the second, the team excels in the middle periods of both halves, particularly between the 16th and 30th minutes and the 61st and 75th minutes.

Notably, they have only managed to score two goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches.

Galatasaray's defense, particularly in the first halves, stands out this season.

Only conceding two goals in the initial 15 minutes and one goal between the 31st and 45th minutes, the team showcased resilience in the early stages.

With 43 points each from 14 wins, one draw, and a single loss in 16 matches, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray have displayed consistent performances.

Notably, both teams faced a goalless draw in just one match during the season.

As the eagerly anticipated Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby approaches, the spotlight is on the remarkable track records of the two coaches, İsmail Kartal and Okan Buruk.

Kartal's legacy

Leading Fenerbahçe, İsmail Kartal has faced Galatasaray four times, securing two wins and suffering one defeat in the league.

Notably, in the 2014-2015 season, Fenerbahçe clinched victory in the second half of the derby after losing the away match in the first half

In his coaching career outside Fenerbahçe, Ismail Kartal has crossed paths with Galatasaray six times, securing one victory and enduring three defeats in the league.

In cup competitions, he experienced one draw and one loss against the rival team.

Buruk's mastery

In his tenure as Galatasaray's coach, Okan Buruk has led the team to two victories against Fenerbahçe in the previous season's derbies with 3-0 scores.

Beyond his role at Galatasaray, Okan Buruk faced Fenerbahçe 12 times as a coach of other teams, recording two wins, one draw and 8 losses in league matches.

Notably, he achieved success by winning the Turkish Cup against Fenerbahçe in the 2017-2018 season.

Presidential duel

In the president's box, Dursun Özbek currently holds the upper hand against Ali Koç.

Their previous encounters have added intensity to the rivalry, and both presidents are set to experience the derby excitement once again on Sunday.

Since assuming the presidency on June 3, 2018, Ali Koç has overseen Fenerbahçe in 10 derbies against Galatasaray.

Fenerbahçe secured 2 victories, drew 4 matches, and lost 4 encounters during his tenure. Notably, Ali Koç's Fenerbahçe scored 8 goals while conceding 14 against Galatasaray in these derbies.

Dursun Özbek, during his initial term as Galatasaray president, experienced a balanced record against Fenerbahçe, securing six victories, five draws and suffering seven defeats in 18 derbies.

However, in his second term, he only faced defeat once in a derby against Fenerbahçe, showcasing a notable improvement in the team's performance.

Goal-minding battle

The spotlight in the upcoming derby also falls on the goalkeepers, Dominik Livakovic for Fenerbahçe and Fernando Muslera for Galatasaray.

Fenerbahçe's recent acquisition, Dominik Livakovic, has manned the goal in 13 league matches, contributing to 11 wins, one draw and one loss.

The Croatian goalkeeper has conceded goals in 7 matches, keeping clean sheets in the remaining six.

Galatasaray's seasoned goalkeeper, Fernando Muslera, has showcased his experience in 15 league matches this season.

Conceding only nine goals, Muslera has maintained a solid defensive performance.

Notably, in two matches where Muslera was absent, Günay Güvenç guarded the net, denying opponents any goals.

Muslera, who joined Galatasaray in the 2011-2012 season, has participated in 53 derbies over 13 seasons. In these matches against Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and others, Muslera has accumulated 23 wins, 15 draws and 15 losses.

Impressively, he managed to keep a clean sheet in 21 of these derby matches.

In the last decade, foreign players have played a crucial role in the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derbies.

Out of the 35 goals scored in 22 matches, 29 were netted by foreign players, emphasizing their significant impact in deciding the outcomes.