Fenerbahçe management in crisis talks: Squad exclusion on the agenda

In the 10th week of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Fenerbahçe hosted Göztepe at Ülker Stadyumu and left the pitch after a 2-1 defeat. Following the derby loss, the yellow-navy players failed to show the expected reaction, and their ineffective performance disappointed the fans. As the final whistle blew, protests and resignation chants from the stands spurred the management into action.

Falling 9 points behind Galatasaray in the title race exhausted patience within the club. The board of directors, meeting at the club headquarters, examined the team's lifeless appearance on the pitch and the form slump that has lasted for weeks. At the extraordinary meeting, which continued into the late hours of the night, the causes of the loss of motivation were assessed in detail.

Radical measures were on the agenda. The option of leaving some players out of the squad, those judged to have failed to meet expectations, to have avoided the fight and to have damaged team discipline, was seriously debated. A package of sanctions, ranging from heavy fines to squad revision, was also put to a vote.

The decisions the management will take are expected to be announced through official channels shortly. How Fenerbahçe will act to rebalance its position in the league race is being closely watched.