Beşiktaş vs Galatasaray: A match of firsts
Besiktas's Talisca celebrates after scoring a goal. (REUTERS Photo)

Beşiktaş take on their archrivals Galatasaray this weekend. It will be the first derby in the Black Eagle's new stadium, the Vodafone Arena. The referee, Palabıyık, will oversee his first derby, as will many of the players



With the Spor Toto Super League in its fifth week, two of the most successful teams in the league face each other. Beşiktaş are in the Istanbul derby against Galatasaray buoyed by a 2-0 win at Akhisar Manisa's stadium last week. Galatasaray marched on in the league with the 2-0 win against Rizespor and will be the first archrivals hosted by Beşiktaş in their new Vodafone Arena stadium. There will be other firsts in the match. The referee, Ali Palabıyık, is assigned to a derby for the first time in his career. And many footballers on both teams will experience a derby for the first time in their careers. However, the most important first is that it will be the first derby where two rival fans will watch together after the five-year away-match ban was abolished on Thursday.The Istanbul Provincial Security Board lifted a near five-year ban on supporters of some prominent football clubs attending away games, a move aimed to reflect a spirit of unity after the failed Gülenist coup attempt on July 15. The ban, which prevented supporters of major domestic teams, including Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Bursaspor, from travelling to away matches, was instituted nearly five years ago to prevent fighting among football supporters. More than 2,000 Galatasaray fans will support their team in Beşiktaş's Vodafone Arena with a capacity of nearly 42,000. The last time Galatasaray fans supported their team on Beşiktaş's turf was the 31st week of the 2010-2011 season on April 30.Beşiktaş's new transfers, Fabricio Agosto Ramirez, Adriano Correia, Anderson Talisca, Gökhan İnler, Vincent Aboubakar, Caner Erkin and Gökhan Gönül, and Galatasaray's new players, Luis Cavanda, Tolga Ciğerci, Josue Pesqueira, Nigel De Jong and Eren Derdiyok, will play in their first derby between Beşiktaş and Galatasaray. Beşiktaş and Galatasaray have 10 points each as of fourth the week of the Spor Toto Super League. Beşiktaş are in the second spot, Galatasaray in third. Beşiktaş are aiming for their sixth consecutive win in the Vodafone Arena, as Galatasaray will want to make their archrivals taste their first defeat in their new stadium. Turkey will eye the critical derby because the derby between Beşiktaş and Galatasaray in 2013 was abandoned, as one of Europe's most fiercely contested football rivalries descended into violence and chaos. Hundreds of fans invaded the pitch, throwing chairs and clashing with security personnel and riot police in Atatürk Olympic Stadium where a crowd in excess of 76,000 had gathered. A red card for Galatasaray's Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo in the 92nd minute was the catalyst for the scenes of havoc after Ivorian striker Didier Drogba had scored twice to give the visitors a 2-1 lead over Besiktaş. The defeat would have been the first of the season for league leaders Beşiktaş.Beşiktaş and Galatasaray are two of the most popular Turkish clubs; both sides have large fan bases that follow them in domestic and international matches. Football hooliganism is a very common phenomenon between their fans in recent years, featuring anything from breaking seats, cursing, fighting, fireworks and street rioting. The first game played between the two sides was an Istanbul Football League game on Aug. 2, 1924. The game, staged at Taksim Stadium, finished 2-0 for Beşiktaş. Galatasaray achieved their first victory over Beşiktaş when they defeated them 6-2 in the semifinal of the Istanbul Football League on July 31, 1925. They have faced each other 340 times. Galatasaray have won 120 and Beşiktaş 107, with 112 derbies ending in a draw.