Controversy erupted in the Turkish Super Lig on when Adana Demirspor abruptly left the pitch during their clash with Galatasaray, igniting fierce debate over refereeing standards in Turkish football.
The drama began early as league leaders Galatasaray seized a 12th-minute lead after new signing Alvaro Morata calmly converted a penalty against a struggling Adana Demirspor side. But what seemed like routine Super Lig action quickly escalated.
Manager Mustafa Alper Avcı summoned his players for a huddle, and moments later, the entire team walked off the pitch, leaving the referee no choice but to suspend the match.
Adana Demirspor vice president Metin Korkmaz stressed that the decision was aimed squarely at the referee board and not at Galatasaray. The dramatic protest was a directive from club president Murat Sancak, who had warned on television, “I hope the referee doesn’t want to look cute for Galatasaray.”
After the incident, Sancak confirmed that the contentious penalty call was the final straw, adding, “We were 99% going to lose today anyway.”
This incident echoes past episodes of unrest, notably last season when Istanbulspor also abandoned a match amid growing discontent over perceived officiating biases. Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk lamented the fallout, stating, “I don’t think this is a very innocent decision. This is a big damage for Turkish football. I am sorry. There is always an effort to make Turkish football look bad.”
The Turkish Football Federation set to deliver a final ruling, the protest continue to spotlight the deep-rooted challenges plaguing Turkish football.
