The Turkish press had already reported that Ä°smail Kartal could leave Fenerbahçe after this Thursday’s (10) clash against Roma, valid for the opening round of the Champions League phase.
And the 65-year-old coach confirmed what was expected by making his departure official during a press conference.
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The “problem” is that the Fener president disagreed, insisting that he is staying in the job.
Kartal had already taken center stage during the match after being hit by a bottle thrown by a club supporter — who was later identified.
The first post-match surprise came when he announced that he was leaving.
“I handed in my resignation tonight. I made this decision to clear the way for my club. I resign with the intention of never coming back. Good night, everyone,” he said.
The news came as a surprise even to the club’s own players.
That was the case for Archie Brown, scorer of Fener’s goal against the Italian side.
Then came president Aziz Yıldırım saying that İsmail Kartal will remain in charge. He blamed, for example, the pressure from the fans on the coach.
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“I just spoke with Ä°smail Kartal. Until I stop, Ä°smail Kartal is the coach, the manager, whatever you want to call it. Until I leave, he cannot leave here! He said he feels the pressure. ‘I take medication,’ he said. I take 30 medications too“
Kartal is in his fourth spell in charge of Fener.
He had previously managed the club in 2014/2015, in 2002, and between 2023 and 2024, in addition to spells as an assistant coach.
The current stint began in June this year.
Fener eliminated Górnik Zabrze, Sturm Graz and Lyon to secure a place in the Champions League proper, something that had not happened since the 2008/2009 season.
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The start to the Süper Lig has not been the best, as they have taken six of the 12 points available.
Rivals Galatasaray, the reigning four-time champions, lead the way with 10.
Fenerbahçe invested heavily for this season. Greenwood (€39 million), Chérif (€18 million), Muriqi (€15.5 million), Oppong (€12 million), Aké (€8.1 million) and Lukaku (€6 million) arrived.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
