Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Turkish Super Lig
Alex Brotherton
The 'real reason' why Fenerbahce waited until Galatasaray scored before walking off the pitch during the Turkish Super Cup final has been revealed.
Fenerbahce made headlines on Sunday evening when their players walked off the field just one minute into the Turkish Super Cup final against Galatasaray.
Fenerbahce fielded their Under-19s side as part of a protest, and when Mauro Icardi put Galatasaray ahead inside the first minute, the youngsters walked off the pitch.
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The match was forfeited and Galatasaray were awarded the trophy, before they played a match against their reserve players to give supporters something to watch.
Fenerbahce were protesting against alleged unfair treatment by the Turkish football authorities.
The Turkish giants had asked for the match - which was meant to take place in Saudi Arabia in December but was called off - to be postponed so they could prepare for a Europa League quarter-final against Olympiakos of Greece on Thursday
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They also asked for a foreign referee to officiate, citing alleged unfair treatment from Turkish officials. Both requests were rejected.
Last month, Fenerbahce threatened to withdraw from the Turkish Super Lig after Trabzonspor supporters attacked their players on the pitch following a match.
Two Fenerbahce players were issued with one-match suspensions following the incident, but club members voted against leaving the league.
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Some reports suggested that Fenerbahce's youngsters walked off the pitch in response to Icardi's goal, but apparently it was always the plan to leave the field.
According to Turkish journalist Ahmet Ercanlar, Galatasaray midfielder Kerem Akturkoglu said to Fenerbahce's Emirhan Arkutcu: "Whoever starts the match should kick the ball into the crowd and whatever happens will happen."
This meant that Fenerbahce's youngsters were not expecting Galatasaray to launch the ball forward and attack straight from kick-off, as they thought their opponents were going to put the ball out of play.
Ercanlar wrote in a post on X: "I hope Emirhan will come out and tell about this incident. Everyone sees what kind of struggle we are in and who we are fighting against."
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Earlier on Sunday, Fenerbahce president Ali Koc told reporters: "It is time for Turkish football to be reset."