Fenerbahce coach Kartal’s resignation refused as bottle thrown in Roma tie
Al Jazeera • • sports
Key Points:
- Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal resigned after a spectator threw a water bottle at his head during a 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma, stating he was leaving "never to return" to clear the way for the club.
- Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim immediately rejected Kartal's resignation, insisting that Kartal would continue in his role and emphasizing the club's unity as a family.
- The club identified and banned the individual responsible for throwing the bottle from the stadium, addressing the incident publicly on social media.
- Kartal has a long association with Fenerbahce, having played for the club for a decade, served as coach in multiple spells, and acted as assistant manager during their recent Super Lig successes.
- Fenerbahce have consistently finished second in the Turkish league over the past five seasons and qualified for the Champions League group stage this season for the first time in 18 years.
