Fenerbahce manager Kartal resigns hours after Greenwood assists Champions League draw with Roma

Ismail Kartal resigned as Fenerbahce manager on Thursday evening after their 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma, announcing his departure at the post-match press conference just hours after Mason Greenwood set up the Turkish club’s equalising goal. The exit ends Kartal’s fourth spell in charge and leaves Greenwood facing a managerial change less than two months into his time at the club.

Kartal told reporters: “As of this evening, I would like to congratulate my players and announce my resignation from my post. I have taken this decision to pave the way for my club. I have resigned from my post while there is still time, to assist my beloved Fenerbahce, my players and future managers. I wish everyone a good evening, on the understanding that I shall never return.”

The resignation follows reports earlier in the week that Kartal had been weighing up a positional switch for Greenwood, with injuries to Marco Asensio and a suspension for Matteo Guendouzi forcing the coach to consider deploying the 24-year-old as a second striker rather than on the right wing. Kartal ultimately kept Greenwood in his usual wide role for the Roma fixture.

Fenerbahce signed Greenwood from Marseille for around £33 million this summer, with former club Manchester United receiving £13 million of that fee. The one-time England international has made 11 appearances across all competitions and played a significant role in the club’s Champions League qualification campaign, scoring in the first legs of their third-round and play-off ties and assisting the goal that sealed their place in the league phase — their first appearance at that stage of the competition in 18 years.

Despite that European achievement, Fenerbahce’s domestic form has been a concern. They lost their opening Super Lig fixture 2-1 to Genclerbirligi, who finished 14th in the 18-team division last season, and most recently fell 2-1 at home to city rivals Besiktas after taking the lead. Four league games in, they sit ninth in the table having conceded six goals, with a growing gap to leaders Galatasaray.