Ismail Kartal resigns as Fenerbahce manager after Roma draw

Ismail Kartal resigned as Fenerbahce manager within minutes of the final whistle on Thursday, during the 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma.

The decision blindsided his own players. Archie Brown, who had scored Fenerbahce's goal on the night, was still speaking to reporters pitchside when he was told his manager had already quit.

«Ismail Kartal resigned. He said did he make any statement to you? Why do you mean he resigned? As what? As coach?».

Fenerbahce later confirmed that Istanbul prosecutors had identified the fan responsible for the bottle and taken a statement from him, adding that the individual had been barred from attending matches under Turkish law. Club president Aziz Yildirim said he went down to the dressing room afterwards to ask Kartal directly why he was stepping down. "He replied: 'They threw a bottle at me,'" Yildirim said, pointing to the incident as the trigger.

Kartal, 65, framed the exit differently in his own news conference, insisting the timing was his own choice rather than a reaction to the crowd.

He leaves after barely three months of his fourth spell in charge, a role he took up in June having previously served the club as both player and assistant coach. Fenerbahce sit ninth in the Super Lig with two wins and two defeats from four matches, and Thursday's draw was their opening game in this season's Champions League league phase.

It is the second flashpoint to hit the club's Champions League campaign inside a month. Fenerbahce was fined €50,000 by UEFA and banned for four matches after a brawl following Fenerbahce's tie with Lyon.

Fenerbahce now need a new head coach with a Champions League campaign already under way, and Thursday's scenes may put fresh pressure on the club to address safety around the home dugout before the next European fixture.