Rizespor host Trabzonspor on Monday evening in Süperlig Week 9, with the two sides arriving in sharply different form. Recep Uçar’s side have lost their last two matches and are still searching for their first home goal of the league campaign.
Trabzonspor travel along the Black Sea coast on the back of five straight competitive victories. Thomas Reis has overseen wins over Galatasaray, Samsunspor, Beşiktaş, KuPS and Hearts, with his team scoring 15 goals across that sequence.
The visitors have rotated intelligently around their European schedule and should be able to restore most of the side that beat Beşiktaş 2-0. Mohamed Salah and Franculino Djú have been central to their recent attacking output, while André Onana has helped deliver four clean sheets in the last five games.
FreeOddsTips prediction: Trabzonspor to Win at 1.95. Rizespor have been beaten in all three home league fixtures without scoring, and the visitors have the sharper attack, stronger recent results and more reliable defensive base. Our predicted score is 0-3.
Rizespor’s 4-1-4-1 has given them a platform to compete, but the home returns are a major concern. They have lost 2-0 to Samsunspor, 1-0 to Alanyaspor and 3-0 to Fenerbahçe at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu. The latest 2-1 loss at Çorum FK followed a familiar pattern: Qazim Laçi gave them a lead, but they did not turn promising approaches into enough clear chances and were punished late on.
Trabzonspor can expose that lack of control. Reis is likely to return to the 4-2-3-1 used against Beşiktaş, with Fabinho and Ozan Tufan protecting the midfield and Salah, Ernest Muçi and Aral Şimşir supporting Franculino. That setup gives the visitors runners around the striker and quality in transition when Rizespor’s advanced midfield line commits bodies forward.
Laçi remains Rizespor’s key creator and Ali Sowe their most established forward, but injuries to Attila Mocsi and Ahmed Kutucu have narrowed Uçar’s options. Trabzonspor have their own selection considerations after Thursday’s Europa Conference League game, although seven changes against Hearts should leave Reis well placed to name a strong league XI. Rizespor need a much more clinical display than their recent home performances to stop the visitors taking control.
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Trabzonspor arrive with a far stronger recent profile. They have won five consecutive competitive matches, scored 15 times during that run and kept four clean sheets. The 2-0 wins over Beşiktaş and Hearts also underline how well Thomas Reis has balanced an aggressive attack with collective defensive work.
Rizespor have lost all three league games at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu without scoring. Their 4-1-4-1 can create early territory, as it did at Çorum FK, but they have lacked composure around the penalty area and have conceded in every home outing.
The visitors made seven changes for the Hearts match, so the Beşiktaş XI is the better guide to Reis's likely league selection. With Salah and Franculino leading a refreshed attacking unit, Trabzonspor to Win at 1.95 is more straightforward than relying on a goals handicap in a regional derby.
Newest match first.
Based on 8 completed matches (fewer than 10 available).
| Statistic | Rizespor | Trabzonspor |
|---|---|---|
| Avg goals scored | 1.00 | 2.30 |
| Avg goals conceded | 1.38 | 1.00 |
| Scored 0 goals | 3/8 | 2/10 |
| Scored 1 goal | 2/8 | 1/10 |
| Scored 2 goals | 3/8 | 3/10 |
| Scored 3+ goals | 0/8 | 4/10 |
| Conceded 0 goals | 2/8 | 5/10 |
| Conceded 1 goal | 2/8 | 2/10 |
| Conceded 2 goals | 3/8 | 2/10 |
| Conceded 3+ goals | 1/8 | 1/10 |
| Statistic | Rizespor | Trabzonspor |
|---|---|---|
| BTTS — Yes | 3/8 | 3/10 |
| BTTS — No | 5/8 | 7/10 |
Half-time data unavailable.
| Statistic | Rizespor | Trabzonspor |
|---|---|---|
| Clean sheets | 2/8 | 5/10 |
| Failed to keep a clean sheet | 6/8 | 5/10 |
Newest match first.
How both teams have been performing.
Rizespor have taken 10 points from eight league matches, but their home record is dragging them down. They have lost all three matches at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu, failed to score in each and conceded six times.
There have been brighter moments away from home, including wins at Konyaspor and Eyüpspor, while Laçi, Olawoyin and Sowe offer useful attacking outlets. Yet the back-to-back defeats to Fenerbahçe and Çorum FK leave Uçar needing an immediate response.
Trabzonspor are in excellent form, with five straight competitive wins bringing 15 goals and four clean sheets. Their last two league matches were emphatic 3-0 and 2-0 wins at Samsunspor and against Beşiktaş.
The wider away record still contains earlier defeats at Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, Konyaspor and Ferencváros, so this is not a side without risk on the road. However, their recent level is far higher, and the rotation against Hearts should help preserve freshness for this fixture.
Latest squad information before kick-off.
Attila Mocsi, Ahmed Kutucu and Can Bozdoğan were listed as fitness concerns in Rizespor's latest medical update. Mocsi and Kutucu missed the 2-1 defeat at Çorum FK, while Bozdoğan was absent from the latest starting XI.
Bakayoko started in central defence in place of Mocsi at Çorum, and Mihăilă filled the wide role previously occupied by Kutucu. Khusniddin Alikulov is back in team training after major knee surgery but was not yet considered match-ready in the latest update.
Paul Onuachu is unlikely to be ready to start, with Reis suggesting the Rizespor match may come too soon. Noah Saviolo is a doubt after withdrawing late against Hearts, while Mustafa Eskihellaç is expected to be available in the squad.
Reis made seven changes for the Hearts match after beating Beşiktaş, which points towards a return for several league regulars. Sidny Lopes Cabral's red card came in UEFA competition, and no verified domestic suspension was reported.
Rizespor have used a 4-1-4-1 in their last two league matches. Taylan Antalyalı operates as the single screen, while Laçi and Olawoyin are asked to support the wide players and Sowe. That structure can make them competitive in midfield, but it can also leave Taylan exposed if the first press is played through.
Trabzonspor's likely 4-2-3-1 is well built to attack those spaces. Fabinho and Ozan Tufan can secure possession behind the ball, while Salah and Aral Şimşir can attack quickly either side of Muçi. Franculino's movement gives them a focal point for direct balls and combinations around the box.
The key question is whether Rizespor can turn their early territorial spells into chances before Trabzonspor settle. If the visitors force turnovers around midfield, Rizespor's centre-backs and full-backs may face repeated transition attacks. Trabzonspor also have the stronger recent defensive base, which makes a low-risk away approach viable if they take the lead.
Previous meetings between the two teams.
Projected starting lineups for both teams.
Rizespor expected XI (4-1-4-1)
Trabzonspor expected XI (4-2-3-1)
Players who could have an important influence on the match.
Rizespor's joint-top scorer and leading chance creator, with 24 chances created in the league.
Has started every league match and leads Rizespor for shots on target.
An ever-present defender whose two assists lead the Rizespor squad.
Has played every league minute and will be busy against Trabzonspor's in-form attack.
Scored against Beşiktaş, then delivered a goal and assist against Hearts.
The central striker scored against Hearts and has combined well with Salah.
Provides control and protection in the midfield double pivot.
Started the last two wins and has helped the side keep four clean sheets in five games.
Scored against Beşiktaş and offers a late-running goal threat from midfield.
What the recent numbers suggest about the matchup.
The strongest contrast is at Rizespor's home ground. They have lost all three league fixtures there, scored no goals and conceded six. That is a difficult platform from which to upset a team arriving after five successive wins.
Trabzonspor have scored 15 goals in their latest five competitive matches and conceded only twice, with four clean sheets. Across their last 10 competitive fixtures, they have scored 23 goals and recorded five shutouts.
Rizespor's available eight-match league sample has produced only eight goals, while both teams have scored in three of those games. Their inability to find a home goal makes an away win and a Trabzonspor clean-sheet scenario easier to envisage than an open contest.
Rizespor need to arrest a damaging home trend, but this is an awkward moment to face Trabzonspor. Uçar's team have not scored in three home league games and enter after consecutive defeats, with key selection doubts in defence and attack.
Trabzonspor have more firepower, better balance through midfield and a defensive run that has been just as impressive as their scoring. The visitors should have enough freshness despite the Hearts game because Reis rotated heavily in Europe.
Trabzonspor to Win at 1.95 is the clear selection. A 0-3 away victory fits the form lines and the gap between Rizespor's home output and Trabzonspor's current attacking level.
Trabzonspor to Win at odds of 1.95.
Trabzonspor to Win is the best bet at 1.95.
The predicted score is Rizespor 0-3 Trabzonspor.
The match is on 26 October 2026, with the supplied kickoff time listed as 18:00.
The match is scheduled at Çaykur Didi Stadyumu in Rize.
More match previews and predictions from FreeOddsTips.
