Fenerbahçe’s return to the Champions League after an 18-year absence produced an extraordinary night in Istanbul. After his team’s 1-1 draw with Roma, coach Ismail Kartal announced his resignation after a bottle thrown from the stands struck him during the match. Kartal said he wanted to step down for the good of Fenerbahçe, his players and future coaches.
Club president Aziz Yildirim immediately rejected the coach’s decision and insisted that Kartal would remain in charge. “I am his senior. I told him: ‘You’re staying on, and that’s that. We are a family,’” Yildirim said on beIN SPORTS Turkey. He also condemned the supporters who threw the bottle and admitted that the incident had left Kartal shaken.
Fenerbahçe later released a statement confirming its full support for Kartal and calling for respect for the club’s values. The Turkish club reiterated that the coach would remain in his position and strongly criticized the behavior of the fans involved. According to Fanatik, authorities have detained the main suspect in the bottle-throwing incident.
