"Irregular contracts" – Fenerbahce criticizes Galatasaray after Adana drama

Posted : 10 February 2025

Turkish football found itself in the midst of another controversy as Fenerbahçe SK openly criticized their arch-rivals, Galatasaray, following chaotic events in the latter’s match against Adana Demirspor.

The match took an unexpected turn when Adana Demirspor, trailing 1-0, abruptly left the pitch in protest. This occurred in the 30th minute after a penalty decision in favor of Galatasaray sparked frustration among the visiting team.

The controversy began in the 12th minute when the referee awarded a penalty to Galatasaray after Dries Mertens went down in the box. Adana Demirspor players argued that Mertens had dived and strongly opposed the call. However, the VAR review upheld the decision, and Álvaro Morata successfully converted the spot-kick.

As play momentarily stopped due to an injury to Barasi, Adana Demirspor’s squad, led by head coach Mustafa Alper Avcı, made the bold decision to leave the field in protest. Their departure was met with whistles and boos from the home crowd, and shortly after, match officials also exited. Ten minutes later, the match was officially abandoned, with Galatasaray’s players acknowledging their supporters before heading into the tunnel.

In response to the incident, Fenerbahçe escalated the rivalry by replying to a Galatasaray post on social media with a strongly worded statement. The club accused Galatasaray of unethical practices, including contract manipulation, unauthorized ticket sales, and deceptive behavior in football.

The statement read: “With your unlawful contracts, illicit ticket sales, and unauthorized betting promotions, you are damaging both our nation and the Turkish Football Federation. Your manipulated media narratives and insincere remarks mislead the public. Keep deceiving referees and football fans with your players, who have long engaged in simulation. Thanks to you, trust and justice in football no longer exist! Yet, you always play the victim. Congratulations, look at what you’ve done to Turkish football!”

This latest exchange further intensifies the rivalry between Turkey’s two biggest clubs, who are locked in a heated title race. During the Galatasaray-Adana Demirspor match, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen was spotted rallying the home fans with a famous Galatasaray chant, a signature tradition among the club’s passionate supporters.

"Irregular contracts" – Fenerbahce criticizes Galatasaray after Adana drama

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