KuPS vs Trabzonspor

KuPS host Trabzonspor in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at Väre Areena in Kuopio, where the visitors arrive dealing with eight selection concerns.

Trabzonspor arrive missing six players

The visiting squad travels to Kuopio with severe selection issues across the pitch. Arseniy Batahov, Mehmet Umut Nayir, Okay Yokuşlu, Onuralp Çevikkan, and Ruslan Malinovsky are all ruled out through injury, while Chibuike Nwaiwu misses out through suspension. Defensive options are further stretched with both Mustafa Eskihellaç and Stefan Savić listed as doubtful due to injury.

Despite those absences, the Turkish side carries significant attacking threat through Mohamed Salah, who leads the club with 7 goals in all competitions this season. Across their last five matches with underlying data, Trabzonspor have generated 1.83 expected goals per game while allowing 1.30.

Trabzonspor score seven in two consecutive clean sheets

Trabzonspor enter Matchweek 1 on the back of consecutive emphatic league victories. They recorded a 3-0 away win against Samsunspor on 10 October 2026, which followed a 4-0 home victory over Galatasaray on 19 September 2026. Those performances corrected earlier stumbles on the road in the Süper Lig, including a 0-1 defeat at Konyaspor on 12 September and a 1-2 loss away at Amed on 31 August, alongside a 5-0 home rout of Gençlerbirliği S.K. on 6 September.

KuPS rely on tight European home form

KuPS earned their place in the league stage after edging Shamrock Rovers over two legs in August. The Finnish side drew 1-1 in the away leg on 20 August 2026 before sealing progression with a 1-0 home victory on 27 August.

That play-off success halted a difficult early European qualifying campaign. KuPS suffered a 0-2 home loss against Sabah FA in UEFA Champions League qualifying on 28 July 2026, followed by elimination from the UEFA Europa League qualifiers after a 1-1 home draw and a 1-2 away defeat against Universitatea Craiova in August.

Our model firmly expects a Trabzonspor win

Our model firmly expects a Trabzonspor win. The Turkish club enters the league phase having produced consecutive shutout victories by a combined 7-0 scoreline, underpinned by Mohamed Salah's output of 7 goals this campaign. Although Trabzonspor must contend with six confirmed absentees and two doubtful defenders, KuPS have struggled for goals on the continental stage, managing only three goals across their last four European fixtures.