September 11, 2026, 6:42 AM
Fenerbahçe have accepted the resignation of head coach İsmail Kartal after failing to persuade him to remain in charge following the club’s Champions League draw with Roma. Kartal announced his decision after Thursday’s 1–1 result in Istanbul, having been struck on the head by a water bottle thrown from the stands during the match.
The 65-year-old told his post-match news conference that he had stepped down “to clear the way” for the club and would “never return.” His announcement came shortly after Fenerbahçe’s first Champions League league-phase match in 18 years, a contest in which Archie Brown’s second-half goal cancelled out Bryan Cristante’s first-half opener for Roma.
Kartal praised his players after the match, saying they had followed the tactical plan and competed well against the Italian side. However, he also cited the pressure surrounding the role and the bottle incident as factors in his decision to leave.
Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım initially rejected Kartal’s resignation, saying the club had not known about the coach’s intention to step down. Yıldırım said Kartal remained in charge and urged the Fenerbahçe community to support him, describing the bottle incident as a major reason for the manager’s distress.
“I am his senior,” Yıldırım said. “I told him to continue and that’s it.”
Kartal did not attend Friday’s training session, and Fenerbahçe ultimately accepted his resignation after attempts to change his mind were unsuccessful. The club now faces an abrupt coaching transition at the beginning of a campaign that had begun with a long-awaited return to the Champions League.
Fenerbahçe have also been dealing with UEFA disciplinary action following the Champions League play-off tie against Lyon. Midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi received a four-match suspension, with two matches suspended conditionally, and a €50,000 fine for insulting people at the stadium, provoking spectators and breaching UEFA’s basic rules of conduct. Mason Greenwood was also suspended for one match for his role in the post-match confrontation.
The club must now stabilise quickly before the next stage of its European campaign. Kartal’s departure leaves Fenerbahçe searching for leadership at a moment when the squad is balancing a demanding domestic schedule, Champions League commitments and the pressure that accompanies a turbulent start to the season.
