Fenerbahçe to host Beşiktaş in Istanbul derby

In what promises to be a thrilling encounter, two of Türkiye's football giants, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, are set to lock horns on April 2 in the Turkish Süper Lig.

Fenerbahçe is currently in second place in the league, while Beşiktaş is in third place, trailing its city rival by five points. Therefore, the match will be crucial for both teams' title hopes.

Fenerbahçe has been in good form lately in the league, winning six of its last seven matches, drawing once.

Beşiktaş, on the other hand, is on a three-match winning streak, hoping to extend its run to cut the gap with its two city rivals in the league.

Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş is aware of the importance of the derby game.

"It will be a good match," he told reporters. "If we can have a good result against Fenerbahçe, we can start talking about our title chances."

A disadvantage for Güneş and his players will be the lack of Beşiktaş fans' support in the game since no away fans will be allowed in the Ülker Stadium following a decision by the provincial security board.

Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, banned seven of its supporters from its games, citing their unruly behavior in a Europa League match against Sevilla on March 16.

"Our team fought responsibly until the last moment to advance, and our fans shared this responsibility and gave our team unparalleled support without stopping for a moment," Fenerbahçe said in a written statement.

"It is not acceptable to damage this unity and struggle by throwing objects on the field in the minutes when Fenerbahçe had the upper hand in the game," the club added.

"We would like to inform you that seven people, who have been personally identified by our club in connection with this issue, have been banned from...