Fenerbahçe are looking to get through to the semi-finals of the Ziraat Cup when they take on Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, a second-tier team that have made the headlines for a string of bans. Amed, which means Diyarbakır in Kurdish, represent the southeastern city and will host the Istanbul side today in a tense game. Tensions stem from their fierce opposition to a ban on player Deniz Naki for his "ideological propaganda" and due to another ban over past instances of the same "propaganda" by the team, the game will be played without spectators. "Ideology" here refers to the club's affiliation with the cause of the PKK, a terrorist organization that claims to fight for Kurdish self-rule in the southeast.

Amed Sportif Faaliyetler executives had first threatened to boycott the game but later toned down their remarks and offered a warm welcome for Fenerbahçe in the city plagued with an ongoing campaign of terrorism by PKK militants, which blocks roads and occasionally attacks security forces clamping down on the militant group.

The match is just another challenge for Fenerbahçe as they compete for local and international titles. Though the Ziraat Cup is less prestigious than other national competitions and brings together teams both from the first and second leagues like Amed, the Istanbul-based club is still eager to take another cup into its trophy room.

The Yellow Canaries had no trouble securing five wins and one draw but it had a hard time in the last 16 of the competition. Diego's single goal against Kayserispor in extra time last month helped the team get to the quarter-final against Amed, a surprise rival for the team accustomed to squaring off against better-known rivals. Amed Sportif is in eighth spot in the Spor Toto Second League Red Group with 27 points while Fenerbahçe tops the Spor Toto Super League with 46 points, equal on wins with Beşiktaş but ahead by virtue of having lost less.

Fener will miss key player Robin Van Persie, along with Lazar Markovic, Abdoulaye Ba and Ertuğrul Taşkıran, all suffering from injuries. Amed Sportif Faaliyetler will miss Deniz Naki due to a 12-match ban on the outspoken player. Amed boasts a record of no defeats in cup games this season but may suffer from the lack of support from fans due to the ban.