Super final: Day of reckoning for Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray

PHOTOS TODAY’S ZAMAN

11 May 2012 / OKAN UDO BASSEY, İSTANBUL ,Todays Zaman

The Lions, as Galatasaray is popularly called, led Fenerbahçe by five points when the inaugural four-team Super Final playoffs kicked off nearly a month ago. But the Lions go into Saturday’s final with only a one-point lead over the Yellow Canaries, Fenerbahçe’s nickname.

Galatasaray, which dominated the Spor Toto Super League season, has been unrecognizable during the Super Final -- winning two, drawing two and losing one. The Lions beat Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş away and did not win a single match at home -- losing to Fenerbahçe and drawing with Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş. Fenerbahçe, on the other hand, has been the most successful in the Super Final with four wins and one loss in five outings. The Canaries defeated the Lions away, beat Beşiktaş at home but lost away and subdued Trabzonspor both at home and on the road.

Much has been said and written about the Super Final and a chaotic 2011-12 season characterized by an unprecedented match-fixing scandal that has dragged Turkish football through the mud. Saturday is therefore a day of reckoning because a champion will emerge at Şükrü Saracoğlu, come what may, even though the rigging saga will continue to drag on.

Note : Will Lion eat the canaries ? or Canaries will knock the lion down ?

Who will reach the Super leage title tonight ? My heart says Galatasaray.!! However,it is football and the ball is round.

The battle will be fierce in Fenerbahçe stadium tonight. I am expecting a good game and fair play.

Galatasaray clinch 18th Turkish title

12 May 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM WITH REUTERS,

In a highly-charged derby that Fenerbahçe needed to win to retain the championship, Galatasaray hung on against the more attack-minded home side as red cards reduced both sides to 10 men in the second half.     

The former UEFA Cup winners are now level on 18 championships with Fenerbahçe.   

Galatasaray ended the four-way title playoffs with 48 points, one ahead of Fenerbahçe. Trabzonspor were third and Beşiktaş fourth.  

ŞAMPİYON CİM-BOM-BOM !!

A miracle happened and Fenerbahçe couldn´t beat us this time. I admit they deserved the cup. But I am happy Galatasaray got it.

It´s actually 0.5 points not even 1 point.

You know the difference was 9. They halfed it at the beginning of playoff series:

9/2 = 4.5

In my opinion , "the playoff system " is useless anyway. I bet TFF will go back to normal system next year.