Istanbul witnessed a dramatic turn during the Super Lig clash on Sunday, as the Adana Demirspor soccer team made the bold decision to walk off the pitch in protest of controversial officiating. The match against Galatasaray was subsequently abandoned, with the home team leading 1-0 due to a contentious penalty that even their own coach questioned.
In the 30th minute, with tensions rising, players from Adana Demirspor chose to exit the game after the referee awarded Galatasaray a penalty in the 11th minute. The decision came after Dries Mertens was supposedly felled in the box, but replays indicated that he may have embellished the contact. Despite this, the Video Assistant Referee upheld the initial call, allowing Alvaro Morata—Galatasaray’s latest acquisition—to score from the spot.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk voiced his concerns about the match officiating, reflecting on how prior disputed calls have impacted Adana Demirspor. He expressed, “If a referee mistake was made, it will be evaluated. In my opinion, it was a position closer to not being a penalty.” Buruk highlighted that this ongoing theme of perceived errors against Adana should be a matter of concern in Turkish football.
The frustration from Adana players escalated throughout the first half due to further questionable decisions made by the officials, leading to their withdrawal amidst loud jeers from the home crowd. As the situation unfolded, Galatasaray issued a statement indicating that they would claim victory by default, although the ultimate verdict lies with the Turkish Football Federation.
Buruk lamented the incident’s impact on Turkish soccer as a whole, stating, “This is a great harm done to Turkish football. I am saddened for Turkish soccer. There is always an effort to make Turkish soccer look bad to the outside world.” The match’s abandonment highlights ongoing issues surrounding officiating standards in the sport and raises questions about the integrity of competitive play in the league.
