Fenerbahce’s players, in a Turkish Super Cup final against Galatasaray, walked off the pitch after just one minute of play, leading to Galatasaray being awarded the trophy. It was seen as a protest by Fenerbahce, who had fielded a team of under-19 players for the match in Sanliurfa. Galatasaray’s Mauro Icardi scored in the first minute before Fenerbahce’s players left, causing the game to be abandoned. Galatasaray celebrated in front of their fans in the stadium as they were confirmed as the champions.
Prior to the match, reports indicated that Fenerbahce had planned to use a team entirely comprising youth players as a protest against the Turkish Football Federation, citing a request for the match to be postponed due to their Europa Conference League quarter-final against Olympiacos on Thursday. This match was originally scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia in December, but was canceled following a disagreement between the clubs and the host nation’s authorities. A reason for the protest was alleged to be the authorities’ refusal to allow the players to wear shirts bearing the name of national icon Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Fenerbahce was also said to be frustrated over the handling of a riot during their previous game against Trabzonspor, where their players were attacked by rival fans.
The plan to field an under-19 side was revealed by the club’s deputy president, Erol Bilecik, who advised fans not to travel or expect the match to be played in its entirety. He explicitly stated that the ‘A’ team would not participate in the match and that it would not be a 90-minute game. In preparation for the match, the deputy president emphasized that the fans should not make any travel plans as the team was going with a positive attitude. He also mentioned the geographical and culinary attractions of Urfa, indicating that the decision was made under the assumption that the fans would not have the opportunity to watch a football match there.