With just one win in their last six games in all competitions, there has been an air of negativity around Galatasaray of late.
Despite sitting four points clear at the top of the Super Lig, fans were seriously concerned by their team's performances, but a win against Alanyaspor on Sunday would surely be a temporary tonic, especially with Fenerbahce not playing.
But it wasn't a good start for Galatasaray at all, going behind after 23 minutes courtesy of a thunderous finish from Tonny Vilhena.
The two-time defending champions were struggling to really create anything of note, yet again looking all over the place, reminiscent of recent weeks.
However, at half-time, manager Okan Buruk made some changes to try to inject some energy into their performance. And it seemed to pay off, as Galatasaray began to take control of the game.
Baris Alper Yilmaz was instrumental, with his long range strike leading to a Fidan Aliti own goal, before putting in a wonderful cross for Victor Osimhen to head home and give them a 2-1 victory in the second half.
Osimhen was yet again - alongside Davinson Sanchez - the shining light in another underwhelming performance. His enthusiasm and athleticism help him often create chances out of absolutely nothing, getting to balls that would normally be out of reach for most players.
A constant threat running in behind while also being a massive aerial threat in the penalty area, he also has the ability to conjure up opportunities for his teammates, really showcasing the calibre of centre forward Galatasaray have on their hands.
With 17 goals in the Super Lig this season, he is now just one goal behind the current top scorer Krzysztof Piatek, and you would be foolish to bet against him ending the season with the Golden Boot.
Galatasaray continue to try and raise the funds to sign him on a permanent basis come the summer, and the way he is carrying the team singlehandedly at the moment, how could they afford to lose him?
But that is still months away. At the moment, he is doing all he can to help Galatasaray win their 25th Super Lig title. And he is doing a good job of that, as seven points now the gap at the top.
Sticking with massive Istanbul teams, Besiktas have been flying under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since his appointment as manager. Six wins on the trot in all competitions and unbeaten in the league, Besiktas' return to form will have made them feel confident that they could secure a third-place finish this season.
On Monday evening, they hosted Galatasaray legend Selcuk Inan's Gaziantep. 40-year-old Selcuk has done a fine job since being appointed manager in 2024, and were bound to be tough opponents for Besiktas.
And in remarkable fashion, Gaziantep bought an end to Besiktas' unbeaten run, stunning Ole's side 2-1, despite playing the last 20 minutes with 10 men.
Besiktas took the lead after 30 minutes, with Ciro Immobile - who has struggled in Turkey in recent months - scoring his first goal since January 11th, tucking home from the penalty spot.
However, Gaziantep never looked out of the game, and eventually equalised courtesy of the extremely impressive defender Arda Kizildag.
They then had a player sent off in the 77th minute, but that wasn't enough to stop them, as Furkan Soyalp showed great composure to score the winner with just minutes left of the game.
A marvellous performance and result for Gaziantep, and a bit of a wake up call for Besiktas. It is clear that Ole's team enjoys playing against outfits who are more open and happy to attack. Selcuk was intelligent in his set up, sitting back and looking for opportunities on the counter.
In these types of games, Besiktas lack that bit of creativity and guile. A lot of their players enjoy running into space. Rafa Silva is their most creative player, but even he wants to get on the end of opportunities.
To solve this problem, they either need to sign a player who can offer some more creativity from deep, or a striker who can make himself a nuisance and help supply for others. At this stage of his career, Immobile is perhaps, too... immobile.
Trabzonspor appoint Fatih Tekke - finally
It hasn't been the most straightforward of years for Trabzonspor. A team that goes into every season with lofty expectations, they found themselves 15th in the table early into the campaign.
As a result, they parted ways with Abdullah Avci, and looked set to appoint then-Alanyaspor manager Fatih Tekke.
Fatih Tekke, 47, was born in Trabzon and spent the majority of his playing career at the club. He was utterly desperate to become manager, making it very clear to Alanya that he wanted to make the move.
However, Trabzonspor got cold feet, and made the very unbrave decision of going back to their legendary figure, 72-year-old Senol Gunes, much to the extreme disappointment of Fatih Tekke, who resigned as Alanyaspor manager.
Senol Gunes is a seismic figure in Turkish football, both as a player and manager. Like Fatih, he was born in Trabzon, and played hundreds of games for the club as a goalkeeper.
He was part of the Trabzon side that won six of the club's seven Super Lig titles between 1975 and 1984, so has legendary status amongst supporters.
As a manager, he led Besiktas to two Super Lig titles, and was manager of the Turkish national team that finished third in the 2002 World Cup. With Trabzon, he won the Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup in 2010.
His appointment in September 2024 was his fifth stint as manager of the club, and while he did help them climb up the table, it hasn't exactly been vintage stuff.
On the weekend, Trabzonspor lost 2-1 at home to Hatayspor, just a week after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor. Sitting 11th in the table, that proved to be the last straw.
So Senol Gunes and Trabzonspor decided it was for the best he left his role as head coach, and this time, they appointed Fatih Tekke. Six months too late perhaps, but better late than never.
Fatih was delighted, which shows, good things come to those who wait.
Senol was obviously past it as a really competitive manager, and Fatih will certainly provide more modern ideas. However, the former has remained at the club in seemingly some sort of ambassador role, and was present during Fatih's contract signing.
Fatih did a great job as Alanyaspor manager, which is a big reason why Trabzon were so interested in him. In the 2022/23 season, Alanya escaped relegation by just one point, and after taking over as manager three months into the 2023/24 season, he helped them to an impressive eighth place finish.
Trabzonspor fans are delighted with the appointment, and will be fully behind their local hero. He has a tough job ahead of him now though, as he aims to make them a competitive side once more and compete towards the top of the table.
Highlight of the week
A bit of a different one this week, but certainly a heartwarming moment. A Besiktas fan in the stands proposed to his partner during his side's match on Monday night, and was delighted as she said yes! He then proceeded to celebrate with the fans around him, conducting a chant with the stadium.
Team of the week
Gaziantep defender Arda Kizildag is the player of the week according to Flashscore's player ratings, after his fantastic performance against Besiktas, which included a goal.
Three Sivasspor players make the team after they beat Goztepe 3-1, including striker Bekir Turac Boke, who scored a brace.
Despite playing just 20 minutes, it was impossible not to include Antalyaspor centre forward Adolfo Gaich, who scored two goals in the 90th and 97th minutes to snatch a stunning 2-1 win against Rizespor.
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