Trabzonspor coach Fatih Tekke said his side is headed into a “very difficult” away game against Samsunspor in the Türkiye Kupası quarterfinal, a tie he described as one in which “everyone has an appetite for the cup.” Tekke made the remarks before the match and said the opponent has grown more courageous under its new coach.
“Samsunspor especially in its recent matches, with its new coach, has been braver and has tried to play more football,” Tekke said. “There is a good Samsunspor built from good players in recent weeks. They will be highly focused on the cup.”
Tekke’s warning came with more bad news for Trabzonspor’s squad. He said Batagov and Okay Yokuşlu are most likely to undergo operations and may not be available for the rest of the season. “We did not get good news again this week,” he said. On Muçi, Tekke said he is not fully fit but could still be used for part of the match.
The comments frame a quarterfinal that arrives with pressure on both sides. Samsunspor’s improved form under its new coach gives the home team momentum, while Trabzonspor must manage injuries and still handle a knockout game away from home. Tekke said his team has already taken this group “to very good places,” but the margin for error in a cup tie is thin.
For Trabzonspor, the next step is simple and unforgiving: get through a difficult trip and survive without two players who may be headed for surgery. For Samsunspor, the night is a chance to turn recent progress into a place in the last four.
