Fenerbahçe coach İsmail Kartal quits then stays
Fenerbahçe coach Ismail Kartal announced his resignation after his team drew 1-1 with Roma on Thursday, only for club president Aziz Yıldırım to immediately declare that the 65-year-old would remain in charge.
The dramatic sequence followed Fenerbahçe’s return to the Champions League after an 18-year absence.
“I am resigning from my position as of this evening,” Kartal told reporters after the match. He said he had made the decision “to clear the way for my beloved Fenerbahçe” and added that he was leaving “never to return.”
Minutes later, however, Yıldırım rejected the resignation.
“Ismail Kartal remains in charge,” the president said. “As long as I am here, Ismail Kartal is the head coach. He cannot leave until I leave.”
Bottle incident adds to pressure
Yıldırım said Kartal was upset after a bottle was thrown at his head during the match and also pointed to the intense pressure surrounding the coach and team.
He urged supporters to remain patient and criticized social media pressure on the club’s players, coaching staff and management.
“Everyone will remain calm. Everyone will wait,” Yıldırım said.
Yıldırım also defended Kartal’s record, noting that Fenerbahçe had achieved its target of qualifying for the Champions League under his leadership.
“We said we would qualify for the Champions League, and we did. Who did we do it with? Ismail Kartal,” he said.
Fenerbahçe hold Roma
The match itself ended with both clubs earning a point on their return to European football’s elite competition.
Roma took the lead in the 39th minute when Donyell Malen set up Bryan Cristante, whose low shot beat Ederson.
Fenerbahçe responded three minutes after halftime. Mason Greenwood found left-back Archie Brown, who moved forward into the attack and lifted the ball over Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to equalize.
The hosts came close to winning late in the match when Nathan Aké headed against the crossbar.
Champions League returns produce drama
Fenerbahçe were among several clubs ending lengthy waits for Champions League football on Thursday.
Como marked their first-ever appearance in the competition with a 4-1 home victory over RB Leipzig. Marti Baturina, Tasos Douvikas, Assane Diao and Máximo Perrone scored for the Italian side, while Andrija Maksimović replied for Leipzig.
Manchester United also returned to the competition after a two-season absence, defeating Azerbaijani champions Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford.
Matheus Cunha opened the scoring before Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Šeško struck before halftime. Lisandro Martínez added the fourth.
Six-time European champions Bayern Munich began their campaign with a 5-0 victory over Bodø/Glimt. Jamal Musiala opened the scoring after halftime, followed by Harry Kane, Alphonso Davies and two goals from Michael Olise.
PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk, while Lens produced a dramatic 3-2 comeback against 10-man Slavia Prague after scoring twice in stoppage time.
Kartal faces uncertain future
Kartal has a long history with Fenerbahçe, having spent a decade at the club as a player and served several spells as coach.
He previously managed the team in 2014-15 and on an interim basis in 2021-22 before returning for the 2023-24 campaign. He was appointed again in June for his fourth managerial spell.
Fenerbahçe have finished runners-up in the Turkish top flight in each of the last five seasons. Their return to the Champions League league phase this season ended an 18-year absence from the competition.
Despite Kartal’s resignation announcement, Yıldırım made clear after the Roma draw that he intended for the coach to continue.
Source:DailySabah
