Turkish giants Fenerbahçe officially announced on Tuesday that the team's head coach Ismail Kartal has resigned after talks with the club's management.
The parting comes just a day after the team's 1:2 defeat by eternal rival Galatasaray in the derby of the 9th round of the Turkish championship.
“Our head coach Ismail Kartal informed management of his decision to step down“, said the official statement of the Istanbul club.
Fenerbahçe clarified that the decision was made in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect, expressing gratitude to Kartal for his contribution, dedication and loyalty to club.
The 65-year-old returned to Fenerbahçe in June for his fourth stint at the helm, signing a one-year contract for the 2026/2027 season. Under his leadership, the Istanbul giants qualified for the main stage of the Champions League for the first time since the 2008/2009 season.
Interestingly, the Turkish coach had already announced his resignation after the 1-1 draw against Roma in the Champions League on September 10, but then club president Aziz Yildirim rejected it and the coach remained in his post.
Fenerbahçe have not yet announced the name of his replacement.