On the Black Sea coast, Trabzonspor are preparing to unveil a new era as Mohamed Salah welcomes Gabriel Sara and Super Lig leaders Galatasaray on Saturday. The sixth-round meeting, scheduled for 14:00 Brasília time, will be Salah’s first encounter with the Brazilian midfielder since the Egyptian’s move to Turkey, and Thomas Reis’s first match in charge of the home side.
Key takeaways
- Galatasaray arrive top of the Super Lig with 13 points from five matches, while Trabzonspor are ninth on seven.
- Gabriel Sara has supplied two goals and two assists, contributing directly to four Galatasaray league goals.
- Salah has started sharply for Trabzonspor, recording four goals and one assist in five league appearances.
- Thomas Reis has signed a two-year contract after replacing Fatih Tekke as Trabzonspor coach.
- Trabzonspor have lost their past two league fixtures and were knocked out of the Europa League qualifying rounds by Ferencváros.
A meeting of form and transition in Trabzon
Salah remains the central attacking figure in Trabzonspor’s rebuilt squad. He heads into the Galatasaray match after scoring in the club’s 5-0 victory against Gençlerbirliği, though that result has not yet brought sustained momentum to the season.
Trabzonspor have won two of their opening five Super Lig games, but defeats to Amedspor and Konyaspor in their two most recent league outings have left them searching for consistency. Their European campaign ended early as Ferencváros won the Europa League qualifying tie 5-0 on aggregate.
Reis takes over following Tekke’s departure in the wake of that elimination. The German coach has committed to two seasons at the club and inherits a side assembled with considerable ambition. Salah’s arrival after nine years at Liverpool was among the summer’s defining moves in Turkish football, while Fabinho and André Onana are also part of the project.
Across the country in Istanbul, Galatasaray have made the more assured start. Sara has become an important figure for the leaders, bringing goal threat and creativity from midfield as the champions seek another away win.
Sara’s rise and the Salah test
The 2024 signing from São Paulo cost Galatasaray €23 million, making him the club’s most expensive acquisition at that point. He has since established himself in the side and earned a place in Brazil’s national-team picture.
Carlo Ancelotti gave Sara his first Brazil call-up in March, and the midfielder made his international debut in a friendly against France. His influence had already been felt in Europe last season, when Galatasaray reached the Champions League last 16 for the first time in 12 years. Sara scored once and set up another in the 5-2 play-off win over Juventus.
For all his own progress, the Brazilian knows the visit to Trabzon will be shaped by Salah’s presence. “Salah needs no introduction,” Sara said. “He is an outstanding player with an incredible career. Facing players of that level is always special for me, and having someone like him in this league draws attention from around the world.”
Sara also acknowledged the scale of Galatasaray’s assignment in Trabzon, where the hosts have strengthened extensively despite their uneven opening weeks. “It will not be easy away from home against a team that has invested heavily, but we want to go there and earn another victory,” he added.
