Hurriyet - The last week of the first half of the Turkcell Super league opens Friday night with a match bringing together two teams with 32 points, fifth-place Beşiktaş and fourth-place Bursaspor.
The game will be played in Istanbul's İnönü Stadium at 8 p.m., yet only Beşiktaş fans will be able to enjoy the stadium atmosphere. For the third year in a row, Bursaspor fans were banned from the Beşiktaş game in Istanbul.
The tension between the supporters of the two teams dates back to 2004. Bursaspor fans blame Beşiktaş for the club's relegation to Second Division five years ago. This, in the past, resulted in clashes between supporter groups of both clubs.
Beşiktaş coach Mustafa Denizli said it was taking the "easy way" out to ban the supporters of one club. "I would be much happier if 5,000 Bursaspor fans would sit in the stands," he told reporters on Thursday. "I want to act to solve this problem between the two clubs because Bursaspor has always had a [special] place in my heart."
On the pitch, Bursaspor will be aiming for a victory hoping to end the first half atop the standings, depending on the results of other games.
Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Sağlam said the team finished sixth last season and sustainability is very important for a football club. "We hope to finish this season in a better position," he said Thursday in İnegöl. "A victory over Beşiktaş could carry us to the top of the league."
The successful coach said it was still too early to talk about title chances. "Winning the title is not easy, it takes a determined team and the whole city united behind it," he said. "Talking about the title right now could create pressure on the team and supporters.