Trabzon, Malatya in final European battle


Yeni Malatyaspor and Trabzonspor, the only Turkish clubs competing in the UEFA Europa League, will host their rivals today in the league's third qualifying round rematches.

The games will determine the future of both teams' European campaigns. Trabzonspor hosts Czechia's Sparta Prague a week after it drew 2-2 in an away game. Yeni Malatyaspor, on the other hand, will host Serbia's Partizan it lost 3-1 in the first match. A victory will lift them to play-offs, the last round before the group stages.

The Black Sea Storms finished fourth in the Süper Lig last season. It secured an advantage ahead of the rematch with two away goals. Any victory over Prague or a draw is enough for Trabzon to pass the round while the Czech outfit needs a decisive victory or at least a 3-3 draw to go through to the play-offs. Yeni Malatyaspor's defeat turned the tide for the Turkish outfit in the Europa League and it now needs at least a 2-0 victory against Partizan to continue its Europe campaign.