The Black Sea derby in Matchweek 9 of the Trendyol Süper Lig takes place on 26 October 2026 at the Çaykur Didi Stadyumu, with Rizespor sitting 12th after eight matches on 10 points and Trabzonspor occupying fourth with 16 and the joint best defensive record in the division, having conceded just five goals all season. Trabzonspor arrive having won four of their last five, beating Besiktas (2-0), Samsunspor (3-0) and Galatasaray (4-0) along the way with their only slip a 0-1 defeat at Konyaspor, while Rizespor's last five read L-L-D-W-L, their two most recent results a 1-2 loss to Çorum FK on 16 October and a 0-3 hammering by Fenerbahçe on 10 October.
Saturday is the first meeting between Recep Uçar, who took charge of Rizespor in December 2025 replacing İlhan Palut and Thomas Reis, appointed Trabzonspor head coach in September 2026 after Fatih Tekke's departure, making it a blind head to head.
Rizespor will be without four players: Khusniddin Alikulov (knee, back in early November), Ahmed Kutucu, Can Bozdogan and Attila Mocsi (hamstring). Losing that many bodies in defence and midfield simultaneously is rough timing for a side that has won once in their last five. Trabzonspor's only concern is Paul Onuachu, who has a hamstring issue and faces a late fitness test.
Rizespor typically set up in a 4-1-4-1 that stays compact before transitioning, with Qazim Laçi, Valentin Mihaila and Ibrahim Olawoyin supplying lone striker Ali Sowe. The system works in theory but conversion has been a recurring problem and losing Alikulov, Mocsi and the other two injured players strips the backline of both physical presence and ball progression quality, forcing full backs into higher positions that Trabzonspor are well equipped to exploit. Under Reis, Trabzonspor have grown more physical and duel oriented and the defensive discipline that produced clean sheets against Besiktas and Galatasaray allows Salah and Djú to hold high without tracking back. Mohamed Salah leads the attack, with Franculino Djú, Ernest Muçi and Aral Şimşir supporting, Muçi and Şimşir are capable of dropping into the pockets between Rizespor's lines and if Onuachu misses out, Djú is the likely starter alongside Salah, keeping a target in the box for the crosses Muçi and Şimşir look to pull wide.
The most telling individual duel is probably Salah against Rizespor's right back: any overcommitment there opens the inside channel and Muçi cutting inside behind the advancing full back is the obvious route in. Sowe, meanwhile, faces a back four that has conceded just five goals all season and if he can't get in behind or hold the ball long enough for midfield runners, Rizespor's attacks will stall before they develop. Laçi receiving between the lines is another factor, though Trabzonspor's midfield screen is designed to prevent exactly that.
Trabzonspor have won the last four meetings between the sides, including a 1-0 victory in March 2026. Set pieces are where Rizespor's threadbare personnel is most exposed: Trabzonspor's deliveries into a backline missing two central defenders could be decisive and Salah and Djú are both active at the near post from wide deliveries. Going the other way, Laçi and Mihaila can deliver from wide areas but Rizespor's conversion rate from dead balls has been low all season.
Trabzonspor should win this without conceding and with four key absences disrupting the hosts' shape, Rizespor's compact block may hold early but the personnel gaps will tell as the game opens up. Trabzonspor to win 2-0.
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?.
