Fenerbahce coach Kartal resigns minutes after Champions League return, leaving players stunned

Ismail Kartal resigned as Fenerbahce head coach minutes after the club’s 1-1 draw with Roma on Thursday, stunning his players and marking a chaotic end to the Istanbul side’s first Champions League appearance in 18 years.

Kartal, 65, told reporters he was leaving “never to return” before many of his squad had even left the pitch. English-born left-back Archie Brown, 24, who had scored Fenerbahce’s equaliser to cancel out Bryan Cristante’s first-half opener, found out during a post-match interview and immediately sought clarification from the club’s press officer.

“What do you mean he resigned? As what? As coach? What do you mean by resigned? He’s not the coach any more? He said this just now? I didn’t know about this,” Brown said.

Kartal cited a desire to “pave the way” for the club as his reason for stepping down. “As of this evening, I congratulate my players and resign from my position,” he said. “From now on, to help Fenerbahce, my players and future coaches, I have resigned from my position, with the intention of never returning.”

The situation was complicated further when Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim told reporters he would not be accepting the resignation and insisted Kartal “continues in his role”. Yildirim pointed to an incident during the match in which a fan threw a bottle at Kartal’s head as a likely trigger for the decision.

“Some fans threw a bottle at the coach’s head this evening during the game. He is upset about it,” Yildirim said. “I just spoke to Ismail Kartal. He mentioned the bottle incident and he also complained about being under pressure.”

When asked whether Kartal had confirmed he would stay, Yildirim was unequivocal: “There’s no need for him to say that he’d continue. I am his senior, I told him to continue and that’s it. We are a family.”

Kartal, a former Fenerbahce player, was serving his fourth spell as the club’s head coach having returned in June. The team had made an inconsistent start to the Turkish Super Lig season, winning two and losing two of their opening four matches before Thursday’s European return.