The Disciplinary Committee of the Turkish Federation has imposed a harsh sanction after the fight that broke out in the Istanbul derby between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. The players involved, left back Archie Brown of Fenerbahçe and central defender Abdülkerim Bardakci of Galatasaray, will receive three- and two-match suspensions respectively, as well as significant fines for themselves and their clubs.
The match, which culminated in a 2‑1 victory for Galatasaray, ended in a tense atmosphere when, after the final whistle, a fight broke out between players from both teams. The situation was so intense that the Police had to intervene to separate the contenders. The referee sent off Brown and Bardakci, while right back Roland Sallai of Galatasaray and left midfielder Kerem Aktürkoglu of Fenerbahçe received yellow cards. The Turkish Federation referred the cases to the disciplinary committee, including those responsible for the clubs and teams involved.
Sanctions are not limited to suspensions. Both Brown and Bardakci will have to pay fines, and their respective clubs will also be fined. Galatasaray, who played at home and currently leads the table with 22 points after nine games, will have to pay more than two million Turkish liras, equivalent to about 38,500 euros. Fenerbahçe, which occupies fifth place with 16 points, will have to pay almost 1.3 million lire, which is equivalent to about 23,000 euros.
Galatasaray, champion of the last four editions of the Turkish Super League, remains at the top of the standings, while Fenerbahçe, despite the defeat and sanctions, continues to compete for a place at the top of the table. With the suspensions of Brown and Bardakci, both teams will have to adjust their squads for the next few days, which could affect their strategies and performance in the final stretch of the season.