Sports
Barcelona handed $672 fine after Atletico complaint over Alvarez
Barcelona have been fined 602 euros ($672) by the Spanish Football Federation after Atletico Madrid complained that the Catalan club contacted Julian Alvarez without first notifying his employers in writing, adding a minor disciplinary penalty to a summer transfer dispute that strained relations between the La Liga rivals.
The sanction, imposed under Article 133 of the federation’s disciplinary regulations, follows Atletico’s allegation that Barcelona approached the Argentina international while he remained under contract with the Madrid club. Alvarez’s deal runs until June 2030.
Atletico also filed a complaint with FIFA, but the governing body ruled that it had no jurisdiction over the matter, leaving the Spanish federation to handle the case.
The fine is small compared with the financial stakes of a potential transfer, but the dispute reflects the tensions surrounding Barcelona’s interest in one of Atletico’s most important players.
The Spanish federation’s disciplinary committee found that contact had taken place before Barcelona formally notified Atletico of its interest. However, it treated the breach as a minor offence rather than a more serious infringement warranting a heavier penalty.
Barcelona are expected to appeal the decision, arguing that the issue is one of principle rather than money. The club disputes the implication that it acted improperly and does not want payment of the fine to be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing.
While the legal dispute continues, Alvarez has been working to repair his relationship with Atletico’s supporters after comments expressing his desire to play for Barcelona angered sections of the home crowd.
The 26-year-old scored the only goal in Atletico’s 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, earning a standing ovation from some supporters at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano after weeks of being booed.
“It was a mistake. I understand why the fans are angry. If I were a fan, I’d be angry too. Especially given how they’ve supported me since I arrived,” Alvarez said after the match.
He was referring to an interview during the 2026 World Cup in which he said he wanted to fulfil his dream of playing for Barcelona. The remarks fuelled speculation over his future and contributed to a transfer dispute that persisted throughout the summer window.
His goal against Deportivo followed another scoring performance in the Champions League against Stuttgart, offering a timely response to the criticism and a possible first step toward restoring the relationship with Atletico’s supporters.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone welcomed the striker’s apology and stressed his importance to the team’s ambitions.
The victory left Atletico second in La Liga with 25 points from 10 matches, two points behind Barcelona, adding further significance to the dispute between two clubs competing near the top of the table.
Turkish motorcycle racers Deniz Öncü and Kadir Erbay will compete in separate international series this weekend, with Öncü returning to action in the Moto2 World Championship at the Malaysian Grand Prix and Erbay closing his season at the Spanish Superbike Championship finale in Jerez.
Both events run from Friday through Sunday, giving the two riders an opportunity to strengthen their results as Öncü pursues points in the world championship and Erbay seeks a strong finish in Spain.
Öncü at Malaysian GP
Öncü will represent the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia, the 19th round of the 2026 FIM Moto2 World Championship, at the Sepang International Circuit.
The 23-year-old from Alanya is 15th in the riders’ standings with 47.5 points after 18 rounds. He will look to improve his position in Malaysia after a seventh-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi and a 22nd-place result in Indonesia at Mandalika.
The Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island was canceled because of adverse weather, leaving the championship without a race at that round.
Öncü is competing in his first full season with the Belgian Marc VDS squad after leaving Red Bull KTM Ajo. He rides a Boscoscuro machine alongside Spanish teammate Arón Canet.
The Turkish rider made history in 2025 when he became the first Turkish competitor to win a Moto2 race. Victories at Aragón and the German Grand Prix helped him finish the season 12th overall with 100 points.
Sepang presents a different challenge, with its long straights, heavy braking zones and technical corners demanding precise bike setup and strong physical conditioning. High temperatures and humidity are also expected to test riders throughout the weekend.
The Moto2 race is scheduled for 17 laps on Sunday, with the start set for 1:15 p.m. local time, or 8:15 a.m. in Türkiye.
Friday’s program includes the opening practice sessions, followed by a second practice session and qualifying on Saturday. The race takes place Sunday as the championship moves toward its conclusion.
Malaysia is part of the final stretch of the season, with the Qatar, Portuguese and Valencia rounds still to come. Öncü will aim to convert his pace into a stronger race result as he seeks to climb the standings before the campaign ends.
Erbay at Spanish SBK
While Öncü competes in Malaysia, Turkish rider Kadir Erbay will take to the track in southern Spain for the final round of the 2026 Spanish Superbike Championship, competing in the Supersport category for I+DENT Racing.
The season finale will run from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, where titles across several categories will be decided. The event includes Superbike, Supersport NG, Sportbike and other classes, with races scheduled throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Erbay, born June 28, 2006, will begin the weekend with free practice on Friday before competing in qualifying on Saturday morning. His schedule includes the first Supersport race at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, followed by the second race at 3:10 p.m. Sunday, both Türkiye time, according to the announced program.
The two races give the young Turkish rider a final opportunity to collect championship points and finish the campaign with a strong performance.
Erbay has recorded promising results during the season, including podium finishes and competitive qualifying performances at earlier rounds such as Navarra. Jerez will provide another test of his pace and consistency against an experienced field on one of Spain’s established motorcycle racing circuits.
The Spanish championship has offered Erbay valuable experience in international competition, while the season finale provides a chance to build momentum for his next campaign.
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga have apologized for the French striker’s remarks about Mao Zedong, but experts warn that repairing their reputations in China could take considerable time.
The Real Madrid forward became embroiled in controversy after a video emerged this week showing him appearing to mock China’s former leader.
Mbappe said he had been amused by an internet meme that superimposed his face onto an image of Mao, describing the figure as “some guy, think he’s a Chinese dictator.”
Mao remains officially revered in China as the leader of the communist revolution and the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Although historians hold him responsible for policies that led to millions of deaths, public mockery of the former leader remains taboo.
The controversy has made Mbappe the latest international sports figure to provoke anger in China, where remarks perceived as disrespectful toward the country’s political leadership can carry significant reputational consequences.
Major Chinese brands have cut ties with the 27-year-old, and Spanish top-flight matches will be removed from state broadcaster CCTV.
Chinese state media and social media users have lambasted Mbappe, although many were left unaware of his exact remarks.
China has the world’s second-largest economy and offers significant commercial opportunities. Within two days, Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga had all issued apologies.
A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said the Chinese government took Mbappe’s apology “seriously.”
‘Serious damage’
So, is that the end of the matter?
“Viewed from a calm, objective and emotion-free standpoint, this is clearly a very damaging incident,” veteran sports commentator Yan Qiang told AFP.
“It causes serious damage to the image of La Liga and Real Madrid in China.
“In the age of the mobile internet, things blow up on social media quickly and emotions run high.
“An apology does not necessarily mean the end of the story.
“It’s better to have an apology than no apology at all, but it’s definitely not the end of the story.”
The Mbappe controversy and its fallout are not unfamiliar territory for international sports.
Various overseas sports leagues and athletes have faced backlash over comments on politically sensitive issues involving China.
China effectively cut ties with the NBA in 2019 after Daryl Morey, then the Houston Rockets’ general manager, tweeted his support for Hong Kong protesters.
NBA executives said Morey had the right to freedom of expression. In contrast, La Liga immediately distanced itself from Mbappe’s remarks.
The NBA, which is among the most popular sports leagues in China alongside football, was absent from CCTV for more than a year.
NBA preseason games returned to China last year.
Debby Chan, a lecturer at Australian National University, described the NBA case and the Mbappe controversy as examples of China’s consumer nationalism, in which online sentiment and state media converge to create “a spiral of outrage.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league lost “hundreds of millions of dollars” during the dispute.
No way back?
Spanish football also has much to lose.
A source within La Liga told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that China and the United States alone account for the “majority” of international broadcasting rights revenue, valued at 748 million euros ($834 million) for the 2024-25 season.
According to Marca, a newspaper affiliated with Real Madrid, the club generates between 10% and 15% of its jersey and merchandise sales in China.
Real Madrid also counts Chinese companies among its major sponsors, including Hisense, sports betting firm Kaiyun Sports and Linglong Tire.
Adam Zhang, founder of Beijing-based Key-Solution Sports Consulting, said a swift and heartfelt apology was the first step toward repairing the damage.
“This will influence the decision on whether to continue the broadcast ban and, if so, for how long,” he told AFP.
Yan questioned whether Mbappe, whose face has appeared on drinks bottles and in advertising campaigns in China, could ever fully restore his reputation.
“Judging by commercial sponsorships and big ad campaigns he appeared in during the World Cup, he has a huge influence in China,” he said.
“If that influence can’t be sustained, there can be no talk of commercial interests, and La Liga and Real Madrid will definitely be badly affected.”
Yan said it was “genuinely hard to predict” what would happen next.
“In the short term, I’m certainly not optimistic,” he added.
“If they want to repair their image and the relationship, their future actions and behavior will be key.”
Türkiye’s sports community joined the nation in celebrating the 103rd anniversary of the Republic on Thursday, with football clubs, sports federations and athletes honoring the country’s founding leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, while organizing races, cycling events, sailing competitions and commemorative rides.
From messages issued by the country’s leading football clubs to sporting events held across the country, the celebrations highlighted the Republic’s legacy and the role of sport in bringing people together.
Republic Day marks the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye on Oct. 29, 1923, following the War of Independence led by Atatürk. The national struggle began with his arrival in Samsun on May 19, 1919, a date now commemorated as Youth and Sports Day.
Football leads tributes
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and leading Süper Lig clubs marked the anniversary with statements honoring Atatürk, the founders of the Republic and those who fought for independence.
The TFF paid tribute to Atatürk and the heroes of the national struggle, wishing the nation a happy Republic Day. It also emphasized football’s unifying power and its responsibility to uphold the values associated with the Republic.
Beşiktaş president Serdal Adalı recalled the historical significance of Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun and the proclamation of the Republic, reaffirming the club’s commitment to protecting its founding principles.
Quoting Atatürk’s words, “Freedom and independence are my character,” Adalı said the club would continue to follow the path shaped by Atatürk’s principles and reforms.
Beşiktaş also described the Republic as a precious legacy entrusted to the present generation to preserve and pass on to future generations.
Fenerbahçe drew a direct connection between its history and the national independence movement, recalling the club’s support for the nation during the struggle.
The Istanbul club said it continued to carry that responsibility through its athletes, achievements and representation of Türkiye, pledging to keep the Republic’s values alive.
“Today and tomorrow, the Republic forever,” Fenerbahçe said in its Republic Day message.
Galatasaray commemorated Atatürk, his comrades-in-arms, the martyrs who gave their lives for the country and veterans who fought for its independence.
The club expressed gratitude for their sacrifices and concluded its message with the declaration, “Long live the Republic.”
Trabzonspor also paid tribute to Atatürk and his fellow independence fighters, celebrating the 103rd anniversary and describing the Republic as a symbol of independence and a foundation for the country’s future.
Other clubs across the Süper Lig and lower divisions joined the commemorations through messages published on their official channels.
Basketball and volleyball emphasize national values
Sports federations across Türkiye also marked the anniversary, highlighting the connection between the Republic’s founding principles and the development of sport.
Turkish Basketball Federation president Hidayet Türkoğlu described the Republic as both a legacy and a responsibility, calling for continued contributions to education, science, culture, the arts and sport.
Türkoğlu said the federation aimed to build on Türkiye’s international basketball achievements, create more opportunities for young people and extend sport’s unifying influence across society.
The Turkish Volleyball Federation described the Republic as a symbol of freedom, equality and confidence in the future. It said volleyball continued to carry those values onto the court while representing Türkiye in domestic and international competitions.
Federations overseeing handball, tennis, gymnastics, traditional sports, sailing, taekwondo and wushu also issued commemorative messages.
Their statements reinforced a common theme: sporting success carries a responsibility to contribute to the country’s development while preserving the values associated with the Republic.
Races, cycling and sailing mark the anniversary
Beyond official statements, several sporting events brought the celebrations into public spaces, with participants taking part in running, cycling, horseback riding and sailing activities.
The inaugural International Osmangazi-Türkiye Century Run was held Thursday on the Osmangazi Bridge, which spans the Gulf of İzmit.
Organized by Kocaeli Municipality in cooperation with national and local partners, the event attracted nearly 8,000 applications and participants from 19 countries.
The program featured a 10-kilometer elite race scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., alongside a 5-kilometer public run. An awards ceremony was planned at Informatics Valley, with organizers hoping to establish the competition as an annual Republic Day tradition.
The Turkish Cycling Federation launched its “Türkiye Pedals” initiative, running from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 across all 81 provinces.
The program combined Republic Day celebrations with climate awareness ahead of the U.N. climate conference COP31, scheduled to take place in Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20.
Open to licensed cyclists, clubs, students and families, the initiative promoted cycling as a low-emission transportation option. In Istanbul, a ride of about 10 kilometers was scheduled to begin at Beşiktaş Square.
Equestrian enthusiasts also took part in a commemorative journey along the 95-kilometer Istiklal Road, a historic route used to transport weapons and ammunition from İnebolu during the War of Independence.
Organized for the third time by the Equestrian and Culture Association, the two-day ride brought together 45 riders from across Türkiye to honor those who supported the independence struggle.
On the Bosphorus, the Presidential International Yacht Races’ Republic Cup brought together more than 650 sailors representing over 65 teams.
The competition formed the fourth and final leg of the series’ seventh edition. It began in front of Dolmabahçe Palace under the auspices of the Presidency, with support from the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Youth and Sports Ministry and other institutions.
With Turkish flags flying from their boats, crews competed along one of Istanbul’s most recognizable waterways as part of the Republic Day celebrations.
Municipalities and local sports organizations also arranged activities for younger participants, including athletics festivals, canoeing and kayaking events, and open sessions at sports facilities.
Nationwide celebrations underline unity
The sports community’s commemorations formed part of a broader program of events across Türkiye, including flag processions, torchlight marches, student performances and public ceremonies.
In Samsun, a 1,919-meter Turkish flag referenced the year Atatürk arrived in the city and began the national struggle that ultimately led to independence.
Other celebrations included ceremonies at monuments, public gatherings and free admission to military museums and naval vessels.
Fenerbahçe have parted ways with head coach Ismail Kartal by mutual agreement, ending his fourth spell in charge less than 24 hours after a 2-1 defeat to archrivals Galatasaray widened the gap in the Süper Lig title race.
The Turkish club announced the separation on Oct. 27, 2026, after Kartal informed the management of his decision to leave. Talks between the coach and club officials at the Samandıra Can Bartu Facilities ended with both parties agreeing to part ways.
“Our head coach Ismail Kartal has shared his decision to leave his post with our management, and following the talks held, this decision has been evaluated within the framework of mutual understanding and respect,” Fenerbahçe said in a statement.
The club thanked Kartal for his commitment and service and wished him success in the next stage of his career. The departure was also reported to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform.
The decision followed Monday’s defeat at RAMS Park, where Victor Osimhen scored twice for Galatasaray before İrfan Can Kahveci pulled one back with a spectacular overhead kick in the second half. The result left Galatasaray top of the standings with 22 points from nine matches, six ahead of Fenerbahçe, who dropped to fifth on 16 points.
It was Fenerbahçe’s third league defeat of the season and their second derby loss under Kartal, adding to the pressure on a team that had entered the campaign aiming to challenge for domestic and European honors.
The derby also ended in controversy, with post-match altercations resulting in red cards for players from both sides, including Fenerbahçe’s Archie Brown. The disciplinary fallout added another complication for a club already facing scrutiny over its results.
A second resignation in less than two months
Kartal’s departure followed an earlier resignation attempt in September, when he announced he was stepping down after a 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma on Sept. 10. The coach said at the time that he wanted to clear the way for the club to move forward. He had also been struck by a bottle thrown from the stands during the match.
Club president Aziz Yıldırım rejected that resignation, and Kartal remained in the job after discussions with the management. This time, the club accepted his decision to leave.
Kartal, 65, had returned for his fourth spell on June 18, signing a one-year contract. His latest tenure lasted just over four months, with mixed results across domestic and European competitions.
He oversaw 18 official matches, recording nine wins, five draws and four defeats. Fenerbahçe scored 34 goals and conceded 20 during that run.
One of the defining achievements of his spell was helping the club return to the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2008-09 season. However, inconsistent performances and costly defeats, including a 6-0 loss to Aston Villa in the competition, undermined that progress. The defeats to Galatasaray and Beşiktaş further intensified pressure on the coach.
A long association with Fenerbahçe
Kartal’s departure marks another chapter in a long relationship with the Istanbul club. He played for Fenerbahçe from 1983 to 1993 before moving into coaching and taking charge of the team during four separate periods: 2014-15, a brief spell in 2022, the 2023-24 season and his latest appointment in 2026.
Although he has guided the club through several competitive league campaigns and secured a Turkish Super Cup, he has never won the Süper Lig title as head coach.
His latest return offered another opportunity to end that drought, but the growing gap behind Galatasaray and the team’s uneven European performances left the club facing difficult questions early in the season.
Kuyt tipped for interim role
Former Fenerbahçe and Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, who joined the coaching staff in the summer, was reported to be the leading candidate to take interim charge following Kartal’s departure.
Kuyt was expected to oversee preparations for Fenerbahçe’s upcoming home league match against Göztepe on Oct. 31 and the club’s next Champions League fixture against Liverpool.
Fenerbahçe had yet to announce a permanent replacement, leaving the club to address its immediate coaching needs while attempting to recover ground in the domestic title race and maintain its European campaign.
France captain Kylian Mbappe apologized to China on Tuesday after comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong sparked a backlash that prompted companies to sever commercial ties with the Real Madrid forward and Chinese state television to suspend broadcasts of Spanish league matches.
The controversy highlights the risks global sports stars face in China, a lucrative market where political sensitivities can quickly turn a seemingly casual remark into a commercial crisis.
In a video from a French podcast that was later taken down, Mbappe discussed a meme featuring his face superimposed on that of a man he described as a Chinese dictator. He was referring to Mao, who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and ruled until his death in 1976.
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself,” Mbappe said in a statement. “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.”
“I apologize to everyone my words have upset,” he added, stressing that causing offense had not been his intention.
The apology followed mounting criticism on Chinese social media and reports that several companies had ended their partnerships with the footballer. State-backed media also reported that China Central Television had halted broadcasts of matches and events involving Mbappe and Spain’s La Liga, the country’s top football division.
The fallout placed Mbappe’s commercial relationships under scrutiny and prompted football officials and corporate partners to respond.
Brands cut ties as backlash spreads
Chinese companies Mengniu, Shanghai Milkground Food Tech and Eastroc Beverage announced that they were ending their cooperation with Mbappe, effective immediately.
The companies said they had “zero tolerance for any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”
The Paper, a state-backed Chinese media outlet, reported Tuesday that CCTV had suspended broadcasts of all matches and events involving La Liga and Mbappe. Advertisements featuring the forward had also been removed, according to the report.
Terrence Burns, a sports sponsorship expert and CEO of the T. Burns Sports Group, said the episode underscored the importance of understanding the markets in which athletes operate.
“Mbappe’s team knew, or should have known, what the true cost of Chinese brand endorsements was all about,” Burns said.
Swiss sportswear company On Holding, which signed Mbappe in September after his two-decade association with Nike, welcomed the apology and said it had “deep respect” for China.
Hotel group Accor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Denmark’s Lego also declined to comment, although a building set featuring Mbappe remained listed on the company’s Chinese website Tuesday.
The dispute has revived questions about the vulnerability of international sports sponsorships to political and cultural controversies in China, where consumer boycotts and online campaigns have previously damaged major foreign brands.
Fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, Swiss watchmaker Swatch and the U.S. National Basketball Association have all faced backlash in China over separate controversies. Some eventually recovered their standing, while others experienced prolonged damage to their commercial relationships.
Chinese media demand accountability
Chinese state media condemned Mbappe’s remarks and questioned whether his apology would be enough to repair the damage.
China Daily said the comments had angered Chinese fans, threatened the footballer’s lucrative commercial relationships and demonstrated the limits of celebrity influence.
The state-backed Global Times took a similarly critical position, arguing that foreign celebrities could not expect to profit from the Chinese market while offending Chinese consumers.
On Weibo, China’s popular social media platform, one user rejected the apology outright, writing, “Not accepted. Not forgiven!!”
As of 0700 GMT Tuesday, four topics related to Mbappe remained among Weibo’s 10 most popular searches. Some users called for the forward to be blacklisted in China and for his commercial value to be reduced to zero. Their comments received hundreds of likes.
CCTV, however, adopted a more measured tone, saying it would consider Mbappe’s apology while paying closer attention to his subsequent actions.
“We hope La Liga, Real Madrid, and Mbappe himself will genuinely learn a lesson from this, offer a sincere apology, and thoroughly correct their mistakes,” the broadcaster said.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry also addressed the controversy, saying remarks and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally prompt opposition across Chinese society.
On Wednesday, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing took Mbappe’s apology seriously but offered no further assessment.
“We take seriously the apology that the person has made,” Guo said.
La Liga and Real Madrid respond
La Liga president Javier Tebas apologized on behalf of the Spanish competition on Tuesday, saying the organization deeply regretted the remarks attributed to Mbappe and the offense they had caused in China.
Tebas said he had met with China’s ambassador to Spain to discuss the controversy and explore ways to resolve it.
“Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions,” Tebas said in a statement posted on social media.
“China is and will continue to be a strategic partner for La Liga.”
He added that the league was working directly with its Chinese partners to address the situation, arguing that a relationship built over many years should not be damaged by a single incident.
Real Madrid also apologized to China on Wednesday, a day after the controversy erupted.
“Real Madrid C.F. wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any offense caused by the recent remarks of our player Kylian Mbappe,” the club said in a statement.
The club had previously declined to comment on the issue.
A joke that crossed a political line
The controversy also reflects Mbappe’s complicated relationship with the online memes portraying him as a powerful, sometimes authoritarian figure within his teams.
Fans have circulated images placing his face on political and military leaders, suggesting that he wields outsized influence over decisions at the clubs he represents. The forward has been nicknamed “the dictator” in the European press.
Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, said Mbappe appeared to have underestimated the political sensitivity surrounding the joke.
“In attempting to laugh at himself and his reputation of being a dictator in the locker room, he apparently crossed a red line he didn’t know was there,” Jacobsen said.
In an interview with French sports newspaper L’Equipe last month, Mbappe acknowledged that some of the memes were harmless fun but criticized images depicting him as a dictator, saying they demonstrated “a lack of political and human awareness.”
Mao remains a deeply sensitive figure in China despite the political and economic changes the country has undergone since his death. His role in establishing modern China remains central to the country’s official historical narrative, making public ridicule of him a particularly delicate subject.
Galatasaray’s 2-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in the Süper Lig derby was overshadowed by a postgame brawl that left both teams facing potential disciplinary sanctions, with four players sent off or booked after the final whistle.
The 407th meeting between two of Turkish football’s biggest rivals took place Sunday at RAMS Park, where Galatasaray secured the win in the teams’ ninth league match of the season.
However, the scenes after the final whistle and the flurry of cards once again highlighted the tension surrounding one of football’s most heated rivalries.
According to the referee’s report published on the Turkish Football Federation’s information system, referee Atilla Karaoğlan issued six yellow cards during regulation time.
Galatasaray’s Davinson Sanchez and Rafael Leao were booked, along with Fenerbahçe’s İrfan Can Kahveci, Milan Skriniar, Nelson Semedo and N’Golo Kante.
The situation deteriorated after the final whistle when an altercation broke out between Fenerbahçe’s Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Galatasaray’s Roland Sallai. Other players joined the confrontation, escalating it into a brawl.
Aktürkoğlu and Sallai received yellow cards, while Galatasaray defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Fenerbahçe defender Archie Brown were shown red cards for physically confronting each other.
The incident has shifted attention to the Turkish Football Federation’s disciplinary process, with both clubs potentially facing further punishment.
18 red cards in the last 20 derbies
The latest confrontation adds to a growing disciplinary record in the rivalry. Referees have issued 18 red cards and 150 yellow cards across the last 20 meetings between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, comprising 18 Süper Lig games, one Turkish Cup match and one Turkish Super Cup encounter.
Fenerbahçe players accounted for 12 of those red cards, compared with six for Galatasaray.
Galatasaray players sent off during that period include Younes Belhanda, who received two red cards, Badou Ndiaye, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Kerem Demirbay and Bardakcı.
Fenerbahçe’s list includes Roberto Soldado, Jailson, Hasan Ali Kaldırım, Deniz Türüç, Marcel Tisserand, Irfan Can Kahveci, Luan Peres, Alexander Djiku, Fred, Mert Hakan Yandaş, Ederson and Brown.
Lengthy suspensions?
The Turkish Football Federation’s Legal Consultancy will review the referee’s and match observer’s reports before referring players and officials to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board.
Bardakcı and Brown face particular scrutiny following their red cards. The length of any suspension will depend on the disciplinary charge brought against them.
Under Article 36 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations, which covers unsporting conduct, players could face suspensions of one to three matches. A charge under Article 45, covering fighting, could result in bans of three to five matches.
The penalties could be more severe if the players are charged under Article 44, which covers assault and carries suspensions of five to 10 matches.
Broadcast footage and match observer reports could also lead to disciplinary proceedings against additional players or members of either team’s coaching staff.
Previous derbies have carried a heavy financial cost
The disciplinary consequences of the rivalry extend beyond individual suspensions. Across the last 15 derbies, four coaches and 19 players have received match bans, while both clubs have accumulated substantial financial penalties.
Decisions issued by the Professional Football Disciplinary Board and upheld by the Arbitration Board resulted in fines of 8.13 million Turkish lira ($192,000) for Galatasaray and 13.359 million lira ($315,000) for Fenerbahçe, according to the figures provided. Fenerbahçe also received seven matches behind closed doors, compared with three for Galatasaray.
Coaches and players have frequently borne the brunt of the sanctions.
At Fenerbahçe, former manager Jose Mourinho received a five-match suspension, while Ersun Yanal was banned for one match. Coaches Salvatore Foti and Sandro Zufic each received four-match suspensions.
Among Fenerbahçe players, Volkan Demirel, Mert Hakan Yandaş and Jailson each received eight-match bans. Soldado was suspended for six matches, while Raul Meireles received a four-match ban. Ederson, Fred and Irfan Can Eğribayat each received three-match suspensions.
Jayden Oosterwolde, Irfan Can Kahveci and Bruno Alves were each banned for two matches, while Türüç received a one-match suspension.
Galatasaray also faced significant sanctions. Former manager Fatih Terim received a 15-match suspension, while current manager Okan Buruk was banned for one match. Assistant coach Hasan Şaş received a nine-match suspension, and Serhat Doğan was suspended for one match.
Among Galatasaray players, Engin Baytar received an 11-match ban, Ryan Donk was suspended for six matches and Ndiaye for five. Sabri Sarıoğlu received a four-match suspension, while Garry Rodrigues was banned for three matches. Barış Alper Yılmaz and Kerem Demirbay each received one-match suspensions.
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