PSV held by Shakhtar, Fenerbahce draw with Roma on return to Champions League

Fenerbahce's head coach Ismail Kartal abruptly resigned from his position just minutes after the Turkish club's 1-1 draw with Roma in the Champions League. The 65-year-old manager, who had returned to Fenerbahce for a fourth spell in June 2026, made the surprise announcement during a post-match news conference. Kartal stated he plans to never return to the club he also played for and coached as an assistant coach in his previous stints.

He served as a player, an assistant coach, and now a head coach at Fenerbahce. Kartal's resignation came as the team sits ninth in the Turkish Super Lig with two wins and two defeats, and after only one Champions League match. In a statement on Fenerbahce's website, club president Aziz Yildirim refused to accept Kartal's resignation, insisting that the coach remains in charge.

Yildirim cited the pressure of the role and a mid-match incident involving a bottle thrown from the stands as factors in Kartal's decision to leave. The club also identified and banned the spectator responsible for the bottle incident. Yildirim criticized the club's supporters and media for creating pressure and called for both parties to uphold the values of the Fenerbahce community.

Players, including English defender Archie Brown, expressed shock at Kartal's resignation, with Brown stating he had no prior knowledge of the decision. Kartal's announcement came as a surprise, and the coach's future remains unclear.