Türkiye and Armenia are set to ignite the Yeni Eskişehir Stadium in an electrifying showdown on Friday, as they battle it out in a crucial EURO 2024 qualifier.
The stakes could not be higher, with Türkiye determined to maintain their stranglehold on the summit of Group D.
Their recent 2-0 victory over Wales has left fans buzzing with optimism, and the fiery midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu seems destined to keep his place in the starting lineup despite a recent missed penalty.
However, the talented Real Madrid youngster, Arda Güler, will not be gracing the pitch due to an unfortunate injury setback.
On the other side of the battlefield, the former Soviet Republic of Armenia side is marching in with their spirits high after securing back-to-back wins against Wales and Latvia.
But cracks in their defense are beginning to show, and with Türkiye's potent attacking prowess, the odds favor a triumphant home display.
The visitors' Boca Juniors' forward, Norberto Briasco Balekian, is still nursing his injury.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu's journey to football stardom is nothing short of a remarkable feat.
Born in Germany, he catapulted to prominence through his scintillating performances in the Bundesliga.
An attacking midfield dynamo blessed with impeccable vision and a knack for goal-scoring, Çalhanoğlu cut his teeth at Karlsruher, dazzling with 17 goals in just 50 league appearances, which promptly earned him a ticket to the Bundesliga with Hamburg.
His stint at Imtech Arena served as a mere steppingstone to greater heights.
His dazzling 11-goal debut campaign at Bayer Leverkusen prompted the club to invest nearly 15 million euro (TL431,826,025) in his services, a move that has proved to be a masterstroke until AC Milan came knocking.
Now at Inter Milan, Çalhanoğlu's rise was mirrored in the national colors as well, with five goals in his first 16 caps for the Turkish national team.
He is poised to become a true leader for the Crescent-Star side in the foreseeable future.
The Armenian footballing saga has its roots entwined with the former Soviet Union national football team until their declaration of independence in 1991.
Swiftly, the Football Federation of Armenia was born in 1992, securing affiliations with FIFA (1992) and UEFA (1993).
Despite boasting talents like Manchester United ace Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Armenia have yet to make a mark on the grand stage of major tournaments.
Mkhitaryan, their crown jewel, shines brightest, though it is worth mentioning the former Ajax striker, Edgar Manucharyan's career is now in its twilight phase.
Armenia embarked on their international journey with a goalless draw against Moldova in October 1992.
While their hopes of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2018 were slim, Armenia did manage to stun Montenegro along the way.
Clad in red shirts and shorts at their home ground, the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, the Armenian squad dons white away kits.
With the clash against Armenia on the horizon for Friday, the Turkish national football team are gearing up for action.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) is all set to reveal the roster for this encounter at TFF Riva.
They commenced their preparations at the Camp and Training Facilities on Monday.
Come Wednesday, the Turkish national football convoy will embark on their journey to Eskişehir.
Post the Armenia face-off, the Crescent-Stars will set their sights on a friendly match against Japan on Tuesday away in Genk, Belgium.
