Fakayejo Paul
In a major shake-up at the top of the Turkish Super Lig, Fenerbahçe officially announced the departure of head coach Domenico Tedesco on Monday, April 27, 2026.
The Decision
The move follows a damaging 3-0 defeat in the Istanbul derby against arch-rivals Galatasaray on Sunday, April 26.
The loss leaves Fenerbahçe seven points adrift of their rivals at the top of the table with only three matches remaining, effectively ending the club’s realistic hopes of securing a first league title in over a decade.
Following an emergency board meeting, the club issued an official statement confirming not only Tedesco’s exit but also the departures of:
- Devin Özek (Sporting Director)
- Berke Çelebi (Football Coordinator)
The statement thanked all parties for their contributions and confirmed that assistant coach Zeki Murat Göle will take charge of the first team for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.
A Tenure Undone
Tedesco, who arrived in September 2025 to replace José Mourinho, had been tasked with stabilizing the side after a period of intense pressure.
While he successfully guided the club to the Turkish Super Cup in January—beating Galatasaray 2-0—the inability to close the gap in the league title race ultimately proved fatal to his tenure.
The club is already looking toward the future, with reports suggesting the board is interested in bringing back İsmail Kartal to oversee the transition as they prepare to rebuild for the upcoming campaign.
With Fenerbahçe now looking for their next permanent manager, do you believe bringing back a familiar face like İsmail Kartal is the right strategy to stabilize the club, or should they look for a new profile to lead a long-term project?