Former Beşiktaş hero Sağlam takes Bursa to İnönü S

With just seven games left in the Turkcell Super League, Beşiktaş faces a crucial game this weekend, when it takes on Bursaspor on Sunday.

Trailing leader Sivasspor by just one point, the Black Eagles need a win at its own İnönü Stadium to keep track of the Central Anatolian side. Even if both teams manage victories on the weekend, Beşiktaş will be hoping that Sivas are troubled by third-place Trabzonspor the following week.

However, the Bursaspor game may just be one of the more difficult games Beşiktaş has left to play. Yes, Mustafa Denizli’s boys will need to battle with archrivals Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray later in the season, but Bursaspor’s ascent has been well documented, while the two Istanbul giants’ have seen their form head into freefall.

After last weekend’s derby ended in a goalless draw, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray are well behind the top of the league, putting themselves in a position so that Sivasspor and Beşiktaş would have to drop points at least three times for them to catch up. The Istanbul duo is now well aware that the title dreams are as good as gone, but for Bursaspor, the season is starting again. The Crocs are four points behind the fourth spot which would mean a berth in next year’s Europa League, which will replace the UEFA Cup, a target that they have been openly chasing since the found dazzling form in the last month.

Bursaspor an a high
Since narrowly losing to Galatasaray 2-1, Bursaspor has won four games in a row. Since the turn of the year, Bursa collected 22 points in 11 games played in 2009, which is equal to Sivasspor’s record during that period and is only bettered by Beşiktaş’s 27.

The fact that Bursaspor turned from a mid-table team to a team that is chasing the top spots after the turn of the year is probably not a result of a gift from Santa Claus, but the arrival of Ertuğrul Sağlam as new coach. After being appointed as the coach in early January, Sağlam first made his side a solid team that was hard to beat, and then managed to turn it to a winning side. Sağlam’s Bursaspor was beaten only once in this 11-game period, and achieved that despite losing star player Yusuf Şimşek to Beşiktaş in the January transfer window.

Sunday night will be an emotional game for Sağlam, as this will be the first time that he steps in front of the İnönü crowd following his resignation as Beşiktaş coach earlier this year. Sağlam resigned after rumors that the club chairman Yıldırım Demirören was in talks with Mircea Lucescu to replace him. When Sağlam left, Beşiktaş was still undefeated and second in the standings, just like it is today, and was one point behind leader Trabzonspor.

Despite his problems with the board, Ertuğrul Sağlam, a former striker, who spent the majority of his career with Beşiktaş, was a fan favorite even when he left. So, it can be said that he would enjoy a warm welcome by Beşiktaş fans. It will be meaningful for Sağlam, especially when Bursaspor fans will not be at İnönü. Under directive by the Istanbul Sport Security Committee, visiting fans are have not been allowed into the stadium in Beşiktaş-Bursaspor games, in the last three years, due to a violent rivalry between two clubs’ fans in recent years.

"It is never good to leave supporters of a team outside a stadium," said Sağlam about the decision. "I hope that is the last time such decision is taken." The enmity dates back to 2003-2004 season, when Bursaspor blamed Beşiktaş for its relegation, claiming that the Black Eagles showed poor performances against other teams of the relegation zone.

Important step on the way to European cups
After Bursaspor promoted back to the top-flight, it took Beşiktaş games as the most important events of the season. This time, it will be a little different, that Bursa needs a win not only due to pride matters, but also taking an important step on its way to the Europa League.

The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m.

A day earlier, Sivasspor will play at Konyaspor hoping to continue its lead. Konyaspor is 13th and only three points ahead of the relegation zone, but is a tough team according to Sivas coach Bülent Uygun.

"We are heading to our most difficult away game," said Uygun. "But we have the power to win."

"Sivasspor should cap its performance with a trophy, so we should do anything possible to make it happen."

Konyaspor coach Giray Bulak knows that his team is feeling the heat of relegation, and in a desperate need of points even against the league leader.

"Sivasspor is a very dangerous team to play against, so our job is not easy at all, but I trust my team," said Bulak. "I have good players in my team, but if you cannot prove that on the pitch, then you are in the red zone. We need to win points now."