Fenerbahce president rejects Kartal resignation after bottle incident
Coach Ismail Kartal announced he was leaving after a spectator threw a water bottle at his head during Fenerbahce’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma.
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal announced his resignation after a spectator threw a water bottle at his head during the club’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma.
Kartal, 65, said he was leaving “never to return” and had made the decision to clear the way for the club.
Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim rejected the resignation minutes later, telling reporters that Kartal would continue in his role. Yildirim said the coach was upset by the incident and had also complained about pressure.
The club said the spectator who threw the bottle had been identified and banned from the stadium. The extent of any injury to Kartal was not reported.
Kartal returned for a fourth managerial spell at Fenerbahce in June. He previously spent a decade at the club as a player, while Fenerbahce have finished second in Turkey’s top flight for the past five seasons.
The club reached the Champions League league phase this season for the first time in 18 years. It remains unclear whether Kartal formally withdrew his resignation or personally accepted Yildirim’s decision.
