Konyaspor host Trabzonspor at the Konya Büyükşehir Belediye Stadyumu on 12 September 2026 in a Matchweek 5 Süper Lig clash between the league's bottom side and a top four challenger yet to win away from home. Trabzonspor's fourth place standing on seven points looks comfortable next to Konyaspor's 18th with zero but they travel with a battered squad and still no away win to their name. Konyaspor need something from this game or the early season panic will start to feel justified.
There is no usable head to head data for İlhan Palut versus Hüseyin Çimşir, as Çimşir only took interim charge on 2 September 2026 following Fatih Tekke's mutual departure while Palut himself was only appointed on 6 February 2026 after replacing Çağdaş Atan, making this the first time the two have met in a competitive fixture.
Konyaspor have lost their last four, 0-1 to Rizespor, 2-4 to Fenerbahçe, 1-2 to Kocaelispor and 0-1 to Erzurumspor FK, not just losing but conceding cheaply and struggling to hold leads when they do get them. Trabzonspor's form is more mixed, going W L W D to arrive here after a commanding 5-0 home win over Gençlerbirliği, though that followed a 1-2 defeat to Amed and the opposition were modest enough that the scoreline flatters the picture and they still have not won away from home this season.
Palut names from a full group, whereas Trabzonspor arrive with six players either out or in doubt. Batagov and Jabol-Folcarelli are both sidelined with knee injuries, Malinovskyi and Saviolo are unavailable and Onuachu and Yokuşlu are both doubts, which means potentially two starters missing from the backline and further disruption in midfield. For a side that needs to go and win away from home, losing that much defensive and midfield structure in the same week is a serious problem.
Palut sets Konyaspor up to be difficult to break down, generally running a compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 that sits deep and invites Trabzonspor onto them, while Çimşir's side prefer something more expansive, looking to win the ball back quickly and transition through the thirds in a similar 4-2-3-1 shape.
The loss of Batagov and Jabol-Folcarelli is the biggest tactical problem Trabzonspor face here. Without them, their central defensive structure is weaker and Konyaspor striker Jackson Muleka, who draws fouls under pressure and makes life difficult for centre backs in the air, becomes an even bigger concern. Enis Bardhi will look to feed Yhoan Andzouana on the wings and if Yokuşlu cannot go, Trabzonspor lose their usual midfield anchor to deal with that combination.
Muci and Zubkov both like to cut inside from wide positions and without Onuachu passing a fitness test Trabzonspor will be lighter in the air than usual. Konyaspor will try to crowd the middle and funnel them wide, where crosses into a packed box are easier to defend. If Trabzonspor push high early, as they may well need to in search of a result, Konyaspor's organisation could produce exactly the turnover situations Palut's system is built to exploit.
Trabzonspor lead the all time league series 25 wins to Konyaspor's 13 across 50 meetings but in Konya the record is notably more balanced at roughly eight wins apiece with ten draws. Konyaspor took the most recent home meeting 2-1 in April 2026 and while Trabzonspor won the 2026 Turkish Cup final 2-1, the league record in Konya does not suggest this is a straightforward away trip.
Konyaspor's set piece threat is the most likely way they affect this game, particularly if Trabzonspor's depleted defensive options struggle with aerial balls. Konyaspor need a result desperately, while Trabzonspor need their first away win to stay in touch at the top and an injury list this long makes both objectives harder than they should be.
We're going with 1-2 to Trabzonspor. The gap in attacking quality through Muci, Zubkov and Salah should still be enough to take three points despite the absences but Konyaspor's compact shape and set piece danger mean the visitors are unlikely to keep a clean sheet. Trabzonspor need the win badly enough that they'll commit to it early, which suits Palut's side just fine.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
