Unofficial leader Bursa aims for victory to stay at summit

The Crocs officially go into today’s match with 49 points after shutting out Kasıpaşa 2-0 in their make-up match in İstanbul on Wednesday.

But unofficially the Crocs have 52 points because they will certainly be awarded three points by default after their week 24 match in Diyarbakır last Saturday was called off in the 17th minute because stones and other projectiles were thrown onto the pitch by rowdy Diyarbakırspor fans.

The Turkish Soccer Federation (TFF) and its Professional Soccer Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) are looking seriously into the matter and their decision is going to be announced sooner rather than later.

Over-confident Crocs?

The Bursaspor camp is so sure of victory that it is giving the Tarzans no chance whatsoever. “This is our best season in history,” press secretary Ferruh Nayman said this week. “We are gradually approaching our target. Next in the line is Manisaspor on Sunday [today] and I am optimistic that with the backing of our fans we shall prevail,” he further stated.

And it appears the Crocs have discovered the key to success: Argentinean forward Pablo Martin Batalla. The Crocs have not lost any of the eight matches this Argentinean has scored in this season -- winning seven and drawing one.

Batalla scored his first goal for Bursa away against Sivasspor in week six and the Crocs went on to win 3-1. He also scored the week after that away against Manisaspor, today’s opponent, and the Crocs emerged as 2-0 winners.

Batalla was also on target away in week nine against Denizlispor and the Crocs won 3-1. He scored in Bursaspor’s 6-0 home rout over İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor in week 10. And after a long goal drought Batalla scored in the 1-1 draw home with Trabzonsor in week 21; in the 3-2 away victory over Fenerbahçe in week 22; in the 3-0 win over Sivasspor in week 23; and in Wednesday’s 2-0 away victory over Kasımpşa.

The formula is a simple one: Make Batalla score and the Crocs won’t lose. Young Bursa coach Ertuğrul Sağlam therefore will be relying on Batalla and teen striker Sercan Yıldırım to produce the goals today. “We now have the advantage and are going to defend it to the very end,” Saglam said this week.

Kapsal not afraid of Crocs

The Bursa Green Crocs made be the odds-on favorites today, but Manisaspor coach Rehal Kapsal is not afraid of them.

“We will be going for maximum points in Bursa, that is it,” he said. “In the last four matches, we’ve only had difficulty against Fenerbahçe. Things are going according to plan and with [Nigerian striker] Promise Isaac returning to the team, we will be strong enough to give Bursa the blues,” he asserted.

Kapsal says all is well at Manisa, but the standings say otherwise. The team now lies in 14th place, with 24 points in 24 matches, not far away from the relegation zone. But the Tarzan coach says he can turn the tide in favor of his team today. We just have to believe him, at least for now.

On Friday night, the Gaziantepspor Falcons and the Trabzonspor Black Sea Storm shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw at the Gaziantep Kamil Ocak Stadium.

Live on LİG TV - HD / 15:00 Bursaspor-Manisaspor

Today’s fixtures and referees at a glance

14:00 Kayserispor-Eskişehirspor

Referee: Serkan Çınar

14:00 Antalyaspor-Sivasspor

Referee: Süleyman Abay

14:00 İstanbul BşB-Diyarbakırspor

Referee: Hüseyin Göçek

15:00 Bursaspor-Manisaspor

Referee: İlker Meral

19:00 Galatasaray-Ankaragücü

Referee: Kuddusi Müftüoğlu