The bottle incident: a coach resigns live on air after the Champions League round | Goal.com
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal announced his resignation live on air, following his side's 1-1 draw with Roma on their return to the Champions League.
The Reuters news agency published the 65-year-old's comments, made during a press conference. Kartal said he would leave and never return, insisting he had taken the decision to make way for the club.
Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim wasted little time in responding. Minutes after the press conference ended, he confirmed Kartal was staying in his post.
"Some fans threw a bottle at the coach's head this evening during the match," Yildirim explained. "He was affected by that."
He added: "I have just spoken with Ismail Kartal. He talked about the bottle incident, and he also complained about being under pressure."
Asked whether Kartal had told him he would continue in his role, Yildirim replied: "There is no need for him to say publicly that he will continue. I am older than him, and I told him to carry on with his work, and that was the end of it. We are a family."
Kartal spent a decade as a player in Fenerbahce's ranks. He took charge of the club during the 2014-2015 season, then worked as an interim coach during the 2021-2022 season, before returning to take on the job in full in the 2023-2024 season.
He was also an assistant coach at Fenerbahce during the last two occasions the club were crowned champions of the Turkish Super Lig, before returning to take up his post for the fourth time last June.
Fenerbahce have finished second in the Turkish Super Lig for the last five seasons. This term they reached the league phase of the Champions League for the first time in 18 years.
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