Fenerbahce coach Kartal’s resignation refused as bottle thrown in Roma tie

Fenerbahce manager Ismail Kartal attempted to step down from his role after a fan hurled a water bottle that hit him during the club’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma. The 65-year-old announced his decision at a news conference, saying the incident and pressure around the job had prompted him to leave to allow the club to move forward.

Within minutes of Kartal’s announcement, Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim told reporters he had rejected the resignation and instructed the coach to remain in charge. Yildirim acknowledged the bottle incident and said Kartal had complained about pressure, but affirmed that the manager would continue with the team and described the club as united.

Fenerbahce posted on social media that the supporter who threw the bottle had been identified and barred from attending matches. The episode came amid a high-profile European match as Fenerbahce compete in the Champions League group stage for the first time in 18 years.

Kartal has a long association with the club: he spent a decade at Fenerbahce as a player, managed the team in 2014-15, served as interim boss in 2021-22, returned for a full campaign in 2023-24 and had been assistant manager during the club’s most recent Super Lig titles. He was appointed for a fourth managerial spell in June prior to the current season, during which Fenerbahce have finished second in Turkey’s top flight in each of the past five seasons.