Galatasaray have formally asked the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to reschedule their Ziraat Turkish Cup group stage opener against Başakşehir, citing fixture congestion and player welfare concerns during a packed December calendar.
The club confirmed it submitted a joint application – agreed upon by both teams – to move the match from Thursday back to Wednesday.
The proposed change would allow Galatasaray and Başakşehir an extra day of recovery ahead of their Süper Lig fixtures on Sunday.
Under the current schedule, both sides would play the cup tie on Thursday and return to league action just three days later.
Galatasaray host Kasımpaşa at RAMS Park, while Başakşehir also face a demanding league assignment, creating what coaches often describe as a high-risk turnaround period.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk publicly criticized the timing of the fixture after his team’s recent league win over Antalyaspor, saying the revised calendar disrupted carefully planned training and recovery programs.
“The cup match was originally scheduled for the Dec. 23-25 window,” Buruk said. “We organized our entire preparation around that plan. Bringing it forward to this week came as a surprise. Playing on Thursday leaves both teams with just three days before Sunday’s league games. That’s not ideal, and we don’t understand the reasoning.”
Buruk added that the request to move the match to Wednesday was aimed at ensuring “fair and healthy conditions for both teams,” rather than gaining a competitive edge.
The situation highlights broader concerns across Turkish football during the winter stretch, when clubs often play three matches within seven days.
Sports science research consistently links recovery windows shorter than 72-96 hours to higher injury risk, performance drops and limited squad rotation – especially for teams built on high-intensity pressing.
Galatasaray’s style under Buruk demands peak physical output, placing heavy loads on attacking and midfield players.
The coach has repeatedly stressed that fixture planning plays a decisive role in sustaining form across league, cup and potential European competitions.
The match is part of the Ziraat Turkish Cup’s revamped group stage, a format introduced to increase competitiveness and deliver meaningful fixtures earlier in the tournament.
As Turkey’s most successful cup club with 18 titles, Galatasaray enter the competition with clear ambitions.
Following the draw, clubs were initially informed that group matches would begin during the Christmas week, allowing teams to align training cycles accordingly.
The earlier scheduling of this fixture reportedly forced Galatasaray and Başakşehir to revise plans at short notice.
The TFF had not announced a decision.
The federation’s fixture committee typically responds quickly to joint applications, particularly when broadcasting schedules are unaffected.
If approved, the match would be played Wednesday evening. If rejected, it will remain on Thursday.
