[REVISION HISTORY]

Fenerbahçe and AS Roma draw 1-1; Kartal resignation disputed

Updated 25 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-11 12:42 UTC → 2026-09-11 15:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Fenerbahçe and AS Roma played to a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Champions League league stage opener on September 10, 2026, at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul. This match marked Fenerbahçe’s return to the Champions League group stage after an 18-year absence. Prior to the match, AS Roma announced they would wear special jerseys featuring the logo of the World Food Programme (WFP) to support relief efforts in Nepal. This decision followed Turkish laws prohibiting the advertising of betting operators, which prevented the club from wearing its usual main sponsor. Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini noted the difficulty of playing in Istanbul, while the match saw Cristante score for Roma in the 39th minute and Archie Brown equalize for Fenerbahçe in the 48th minute. Following the result, Fenerbahçe manager İsmail Kartal announced his immediate resignation after a fan threw a bottle that struck him in the head. Kartal stated, “Tonight I resigned. I am opening the way for my club. I resigned while that path still exists, and I have no intention of ever returning.” The announcement reportedly came as a shock to players, including Archie Brown. Fenerbahçe President Aziz Yıldırım has refused to accept the resignation, stating that the club is a “family” and that Kartal remains in his position. Yıldırım declared, “Ismail Kartal is staying. I am his superior, I told him to continue and that is it.” While the club identified the individual responsible, Kaan A., and issued a stadium ban, reports indicate growing uncertainty as Kartal has not attended subsequent training sessions and has reportedly turned off his phone. ~~Club officials, including Football Director Oğuz Çetin, have attempted to meet with Kartal~~ The fan, Kaan A., has since expressed regret, claiming he did not intend to ~~resolve~~ target the ~~crisis.~~ coach.

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