Istanbul: Fenerbahce announced that head coach Ismail Kartal will continue to lead the team, despite offering his resignation after the UEFA Champions League match against Roma.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the yellow-and-navy club confirmed that Kartal will oversee the team’s training session scheduled for 11.30 am local time on Saturday. This session will mark the beginning of Fenerbahce’s preparations for their upcoming encounter with Gaziantep FK.
On Thursday, Kartal announced his resignation following a 1-1 draw with Roma in the team’s Champions League opener. At 65, the Turkish coach declared his decision during a post-match news conference, indicating an end to his fourth tenure with the Istanbul club. He expressed gratitude towards Fenerbahce’s supporters, management, players, staff, and media members before opting not to take any questions. Kartal stated his decision was made to clear the path for the club, asserting that he resigned to support Fenerbahce, its players, and future managers.
Kartal returned to Fenerbahce in June 2026, marking his fourth stint as head coach. During this period, he successfully guided the club back to the Champions League for the first time since the 2008-09 season, concluding an 18-year absence from the competition.
Following Kartal’s resignation announcement, Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim rejected the resignation at a news conference held after the match. Yildirim emphasized that Kartal would remain in charge and urged the Fenerbahce community to support the coach. He stated that Kartal would not be leaving the club as long as he remained president.
The resignation news came after a fan threw a bottle at Kartal during the match. Fenerbahce later reported that the individual responsible had been identified and banned from future matches. The club indicated that the fan gave a statement to authorities following instructions from Istanbul prosecutors, and a stadium ban was imposed under Law No. 6222.