Fenerbahce president: Person who threw bottle at Ismail Kartal arrested; club rejects his resignation
Aziz Yildirim confirmed the attacker’s arrest and said the club stands behind coach Ismail Kartal after the 1:1 Champions League match with Roma.
11.09.2026 — During the Champions League match between Fenerbahce and Roma on the night of September 10, 2026, a water bottle was thrown at Fenerbahce head coach Ismail Kartal, an incident that interrupted the closing stages of a game that finished 1:1.
The episode left Kartal visibly shaken and he announced he intended to leave the club, offering his resignation. The club issued a statement and its president, Aziz Yildirim, personally visited the dressing room to discuss the incident with the coach.
Club response and arrest
Aziz Yildirim said: "I went into the dressing room and asked Kartal why he made that move, he explained to me that a bottle was thrown at him. After this the identity of that person was established. The club stands behind Ismail Kartal who remains our coach. We do not accept the resignation."
The club later announced that the person responsible had been arrested. A short video clip of the moment when the bottle hit Kartal circulated on social media the following day.
Despite the club's declaration of support, Kartal has since stated that he will not return to the Fenerbahce bench, leaving the club and supporters to await how the situation will be resolved.
Photo: press material from the event
