Madness! Another twist in Fenerbahce coach saga. Is he really staying?
The Ismail Kartal saga has taken another dramatic turn.
Details: Fenerbahce have officially announced that head coach Ismail Kartal remains in his position. The Istanbul club stated that the team will train under Kartal on September 12 at 11:30 as preparations continue for the upcoming Super Lig match against Gaziantep FK.
The announcement comes after an extraordinary 24 hours at Fenerbahce. Following the 1-1 Champions League draw against Roma, Kartal publicly announced that he was stepping down and said he had made the decision to clear the way for the club.
However, club president Aziz Yildirim immediately refused to accept the resignation and insisted that Kartal would continue as head coach. The situation remained uncertain during the following day, but Fenerbahce have now formally put an end to the speculation by confirming that the 65-year-old remains in charge.
Kartal began his latest spell at Fenerbahce in June 2026, taking charge of the Istanbul giants for the fourth time in his coaching career. Under his leadership, the club successfully navigated Champions League qualifying and returned to the main stage of Europe's biggest club competition after an 18-year absence.
Fenerbahce's next league match is away to Gaziantep FK on September 14. It is worth noting that the Yellow Canaries currently sit ninth in the Turkish Super Lig with six points from four matches, having recorded two wins and two defeats.
Reminder: Gone on the spot! Kartal resigns as Fenerbahce boss hours after historic UCL return
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
