Ismail Kartal, Fenerbahce and Aziz Yildirim
10 September 2026
Ismail Kartal announced his resignation as Fenerbahce coach minutes after a 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma. The 65-year-old said he wanted to step aside permanently, but club president Aziz Yildirim immediately rejected the resignation and said Kartal remains in charge.
Kartal cited the pressure of the role and an incident in which a bottle was thrown at him during the match. Fenerbahce identified and banned the spectator, while Yildirim publicly backed his coach and criticised supporters and media pressure.